Question

Why is ground water a highly overused resource?

Answer 1

Now-a-days groundwater is highly overused because of many reasons, some of which are as follows.
(i) Groundwater is a fresh water source and can be used for drinking purpose. It is actually over exploited in urban areas for domestic use and drinking purpose.
(ii) Groundwater is extensively used for irrigation purpose, especially in North India. Here, most farmers have their own wells and tubewells in their farms for irrigation to increase their production.
(iii) Post-independent India witnessed intensive industrialization and urbanization. Both these factors have made the matter worse by exerting pressure on existing freshwater resources.
(iv) After toxication and pollution of rivers and many lakes by the increasing industrialization, groundwater becomes practically only source of freshwater used directly without treatment. Over exploitation and mismanagement of water resource may lead to ecological crisis which has an immense impact on our life.
(v) Large population implies that more water will be required not only for domestic use, but also for agricultural use to grow more food for the large population.