Bengaluru East taluk worst affected in depleting groundwater levels this summer

The data of groundwater levels for last December and this January and February shows that Bengaluru East taluk, which houses one of the major IT corridors of the city, where the water crisis is most severe and groundwater exploitation unbridled, has seen the most dip in groundwater levels this summer.  | Photo Credit: IDREES MOHAMMED

Bengaluru East taluk seems to be the worst affected by the depleting groundwater levels in the city this summer, even as Bengaluru North taluk is the least affected, data from the Karnataka Groundwater Authority shows. 

The data of groundwater levels for last December and this January and February shows that Bengaluru East taluk, which houses one of the major IT corridors of the city, where the water crisis is most severe and groundwater exploitation unbridled, has seen the most dip in groundwater levels this summer.

Compared to the decadal average (2014-2023) groundwater levels for these months, Bengaluru East taluk has recorded a dip of 10.8 metres in groundwater levels this February, 9.28 metres in January and 5.81 metres last December. The taluk has also recorded a dip of 5.52 metres during the December - February period in absolute terms. 

“There is no Cauvery river water supply to most areas of the East taluk and since it houses the IT corridor, there is unregulated development and therefore the number of illegal borewells in this taluk is also probably the highest here. There is unbridled vertical growth and there is a big lag in resource allocation to this population. So groundwater levels depleting the most in East taluk is sort of expected,” said Jagadish Reddy, a resident of Varthur. 

Meanwhile, while compared to the decadal average groundwater levels, Bengaluru South taluk may not be one of the worst affected: it saw a dip of 6.15 metres in February compared to the decadal average for the month, 1.38 metres in January, and only 0.74 metres in December. The taluk saw the biggest dip of 7.88 metres during the December - February period.

Anekal and Yelahanka taluks have also seen a dip of over six metres compared to the decadal averages for these taluks in February. Yelahanka taluk has seen the least dip during the December - February period - only 0.29 metres.

Meanwhile, Bengaluru North taluk seems to be the least affected in terms of depleting groundwater levels. Compared to the decadal averages, North taluk saw groundwater levels dip by 0.02 metres in December, 2.62 metres in January, and 0.35 metres in February.