Punjab mulling adopting Telangana model for groundwater conservation: Mann

Hyderabad, Feb 16: In a move to check the depleting groundwater table, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday announced exploring the feasibility to replicate Telangana model for the conservation of this precious natural resource and recharging the water table in the state.

The Chief Minister, along with officers of the Irrigation Department, analysed the Telangana model of water conservation here. He said it is a revolutionary model that is aimed at recharging the water table holistically.

The Telangana government has constructed small dams in villages for conserving the groundwater across the state, and he said as a result of this, the groundwater level has increased up to two metres in the villages.

The Chief Minister said the need of the hour is to channelise canal water in Punjab. "The sole motive of examining this model is to check the depletion of groundwater level for the sake of future generations."

Mann also took an insightful view of new techniques about saving rapidly decreasing groundwater during his visit to dams and lauded this new and unique way to save the water on one hand and to increase the level of groundwater on the other.

The Chief Minister said due to over exploitation of the groundwater in the state, the water table is swiftly depleting across Punjab.

He said more than 78 per cent of Punjab's 150 blocks are in extreme dark zones due to depletion of the groundwater table.