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India ground water forum to tackle contamination, depletion issues

Rajasthan, India – As South Asian countries face continued severe drought following two consecutive monsoon failures, a ground water forum in India tackled ground water depletion and contamination issues. 

At the South Asia Groundwater Forum, governments and water specialists discussed priorities for tackling ground water depletion and contamination, and the building of drought and climate resilience for farmers, cities and villages, the International Water Association and the World Bank said in a news release.

The conference, held in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, was organized by the government of India in collaboration with the International Water Association and the World Bank.

Per capita water availability continues to decline in South Asia, and the region’s water-intensive economies have increasingly turned to ground water to supply drinking water and water for agriculture to serve a rapidly growing population. The International Water Association and the World Bank said in the release. “The forum is particularly significant, as it brings together high-level delegations from government and civil society, scientists and international organizations, and community leaders, from 20 countries on a common platform.”

“Quantity and quality both need to be considered together in policy and planning, and for protection, regulation and management of ground water, including in community-based groundwater management,” said Jenifer Sara, the World Bank’s senior director for water globalpractice. “More attention is needed to address water-energy-food nexus issues, protecting recharge areas and promoting demand management and conjunctive use and management of both surface and ground water.”

The goals of the forum are to elevate, at the policy level, the vital role ground water plays in the water sector across the region, which includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.