From 100 ft to 1,800 ft: Story of depleting groundwater level
When there were many lakes in Bengaluru, drilling to 100 feet would result in striking water, but now it has gone down to 1,800 feet and there is still no water, said T.V. Ramachandra from IISc.’s Energy and Wetlands Research group.
Speaking at a press conference to discuss the future of the Aghanashini Wetlands, he said: “My studies show when lakes were there (in large numbers) people were getting water at 100 feet. When we removed the lakes in the name of development in the five or six years it went down to 600 feet. Today they have gone down to 1,800 feet and there is no water.”
He added that Bengaluru’s green cover has been depleting over the years and that there has been a loss of wetlands and vegetation cover. “I have mapped the Bengaluru urban information system. There was 68% green cover in the 1970s but today 86% is red (buildings). We are losing wetlands. There has been a 1,055% increase in concrete area over five decades,” he said.
He added that there has also been 18% loss in vegetation cover and 79% loss of waterbodies.
“Today you don’t have water in your wells. Around 45% of Bengalururans depend on groundwater. We have removed the forest cover in the Cauvery basin and today it is less than 18% and rainfall has changed in the Cauvery basin area,” he said. He added that the city should have Bengaluru Lake Information System (BLISS)
“We have monitored all the 193 lakes in Bengaluru. We have put all the data: physical, chemical biological parameters as well as the encroachment. We have also mapped the extent of encroachment. The only thing we have not put out is who has encroached,” he said.