Gurgaon: Haryana achieved 85% of its target by saving 5.8 billion cubic meters (BCM) of water from March 2023 till February, 2025, according to an estimate by the Haryana Water Resources Authority (HWRA). Officials said this was done by reusing treated wastewater, promoting efficient cultivation methods, encouraging crop diversification, adopting micro-irrigation techniques and enhancing groundwater recharge. The state aims to save 6.9 BCM by the end of March, 2025. The initiative was introduced after HWRA calculated between 2020 and 2022 that Haryana has 20.9 trillion litres of water available, including surface water, groundwater and treated wastewater. But the state’s demand for this period was 34,96,300 crore litres, leaving a gap of 14,02,700 crore litres to be filled. Conserving water is critical as 60% of the state’s geographical area was in the ‘red’ category for excess groundwater exploitation, according to an assessment by the Central Groundwater Authority in 2020.
Haryana recorded an 11% increase in groundwater recharge from 2023 to 2024, as reported by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB).
For 2025-26, the state has planned to dig up 244 water bodies over 1,185 acres, with storage capacity of 12,000 million litres of water. Haryana aims to reuse 50% of treated wastewater by March, 2025 and take this up to 100% by December, 2028. As of February, around 14,570 crore litres of treated wastewater was utilised by various departments under the state’s Integrated Water Resources Action Plan (IWRAP). HWRA is also working on its second edition of IWRAP for 2025-28. “The vision for 2025-28 aligns with the Haryana Reuse of Treated Wastewater (TWW) policy 2019. We aim to achieve 100% reuse by December, 2028. We are working with several departments jointly,” Keshni Anand Arora, HWRA chairperson, said. Arora said several interventions helped the state save water. The agriculture department implemented large-scale adoption of direct seeding of rice in 4.5 lakh acres, crop diversification in 1.1 lakh acres, and varietal interventions in 7 lakh acres of land. Anti-waterlogging measures were executed in 1 lakh acres of area through coordinated efforts of the agriculture and irrigation departments. Additionally, 53 water bodies were built across nine districts and these can save 1,066 million litres of water. Work on another 36 water bodies is going on. Similarly, 1,597 existing ponds were revived, and 1,050 recharge pits were dug up for groundwater recharge. “The target for FY 2025-26 is to bring 1 lakh acres of area under micro-irrigation. Additionally, 40 solar-powered micro-irrigation projects on village ponds were completed this year,” Arora said. Still, there are challenges ahead. According to a study commissioned by the Central Ground Water Board, Haryana’s overall groundwater extraction rate increased slightly from 135.7% in 2022-23 to 136% in 2023-24. The study estimated that the state could extract 9.3 lakh HAM (cubic hectare metres) of groundwater, but it extracted 12 lakh HAM in 2023-24. Experts pointed out that though the state was taking steps in the right direction, there was a huge water gap to fill. “Haryana’s strides in water conservation are commendable, yet the massive gap of 14 lakh litres highlights the urgency for a more integrated approach. Achieving water neutrality and bridging this deficit requires not just conservation but also strict enforcement of rainwater harvesting, large-scale wastewater reuse in industries and for horticulture uses, and the adoption of precision irrigation techniques. A robust policy, coupled with community-driven water stewardship will be key to securing a sustainable water future for the state,” said Dr. Fawzia Tarannum, strategic adviser for GuruJal.
A water management initiative, GuruJal was established as a public-private partnership under Gurgaon district administration.
Source & Image: https://bit.ly/3FdptmP
