Addressing Depletion in Alluvial Aquifers
India has one of the highest rates of groundwater extraction in the world, with depletion rates increasingly becoming a concern. The vast alluvial aquifers of the Indo-Gangetic Plain are vital for the country’s food security and livelihoods of millions. However, abstraction far exceeds natural rech...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nandan Nawn
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Ecology, Economy and Society – The INSEE Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ecoinsee.org/journal/ojs/index.php/ees/article/view/1122 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832572668653600768 |
|---|---|
| author | Partik Kumar Veena Srinivasan |
| author_facet | Partik Kumar Veena Srinivasan |
| author_sort | Partik Kumar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
India has one of the highest rates of groundwater extraction in the world, with depletion rates increasingly becoming a concern. The vast alluvial aquifers of the Indo-Gangetic Plain are vital for the country’s food security and livelihoods of millions. However, abstraction far exceeds natural recharge, resulting in a gradual decline. The hard-rock aquifers of peninsular India are also subjected to over-exploitation. But in these low-storage aquifers, it manifests as seasonal emptying and filling. In recent years, policy attention has shifted from supply-side approaches such as watershed management to demand-side measures such as participatory groundwater management under Atal Bhujal Yojana. However, the current strategies do not account for differences in geology. We argue that the management processes that worked in peninsular Indian hard-rock systems may not be suitable for alluvial aquifers, so a different approach is needed. To make this case, we draw on Ostrom’s Institutional Analysis and Development framework for the management of common-pool resources. We argue that the characteristics of groundwater resources, the socioeconomic attributes of uses and users, and the rules governing use framed by existing institutions and agrarian policies are the distinguishing features to be considered in building solutions for alluvial aquifers.
|
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1d05e9f9d00e47c8b1d6edcffbaa8b4f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2581-6152 2581-6101 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nandan Nawn |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology, Economy and Society – The INSEE Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-1d05e9f9d00e47c8b1d6edcffbaa8b4f2025-02-02T08:23:15ZengNandan NawnEcology, Economy and Society – The INSEE Journal2581-61522581-61012025-01-018110.37773/ees.v8i1.1122Addressing Depletion in Alluvial AquifersPartik Kumar0Veena Srinivasan1University of YorkWELL Labs India has one of the highest rates of groundwater extraction in the world, with depletion rates increasingly becoming a concern. The vast alluvial aquifers of the Indo-Gangetic Plain are vital for the country’s food security and livelihoods of millions. However, abstraction far exceeds natural recharge, resulting in a gradual decline. The hard-rock aquifers of peninsular India are also subjected to over-exploitation. But in these low-storage aquifers, it manifests as seasonal emptying and filling. In recent years, policy attention has shifted from supply-side approaches such as watershed management to demand-side measures such as participatory groundwater management under Atal Bhujal Yojana. However, the current strategies do not account for differences in geology. We argue that the management processes that worked in peninsular Indian hard-rock systems may not be suitable for alluvial aquifers, so a different approach is needed. To make this case, we draw on Ostrom’s Institutional Analysis and Development framework for the management of common-pool resources. We argue that the characteristics of groundwater resources, the socioeconomic attributes of uses and users, and the rules governing use framed by existing institutions and agrarian policies are the distinguishing features to be considered in building solutions for alluvial aquifers. https://ecoinsee.org/journal/ojs/index.php/ees/article/view/1122Participatory Groundwater ManagementAlluvial AquifersIndo-Gangetic PlainAtal Bhujal YojanaAgricultureLivelihood |
| spellingShingle | Partik Kumar Veena Srinivasan Addressing Depletion in Alluvial Aquifers Ecology, Economy and Society – The INSEE Journal Participatory Groundwater Management Alluvial Aquifers Indo-Gangetic Plain Atal Bhujal Yojana Agriculture Livelihood |
| title | Addressing Depletion in Alluvial Aquifers |
| title_full | Addressing Depletion in Alluvial Aquifers |
| title_fullStr | Addressing Depletion in Alluvial Aquifers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Addressing Depletion in Alluvial Aquifers |
| title_short | Addressing Depletion in Alluvial Aquifers |
| title_sort | addressing depletion in alluvial aquifers |
| topic | Participatory Groundwater Management Alluvial Aquifers Indo-Gangetic Plain Atal Bhujal Yojana Agriculture Livelihood |
| url | https://ecoinsee.org/journal/ojs/index.php/ees/article/view/1122 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT partikkumar addressingdepletioninalluvialaquifers AT veenasrinivasan addressingdepletioninalluvialaquifers |