Question 100 from UPSC CSE 2020 - ENVIRONME NT

Question

Consider the following statements:
1. 36% of India's districts are classified as "overexploited" or "critical" by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA).
2. CGWA was formed under the Environment (Protection) Act.
3. India has the largest area under groundwater irrigation in the world.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. 2 and 3 only

Strategy: - Evaluate statement 1's precision regarding the 36% proportion, noting potential discrepancies with recent groundwater data.
- Directly affirm statement 2 by recalling the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA)'s establishment under the Environment (Protection) Act.
- Validate statement 3, recognizing India's widely known status for having the 'largest area' under groundwater irrigation.
- Eliminate statement 1 due to its questionable precision, then select the option supported by statements 2 and 3.

Key Info: ## Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA)
The CGWA was established in 1997 via a notification under sub-section (3) of Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Its primary role is to regulate and manage the development and extraction of groundwater resources throughout India. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 provides the framework for environmental protection and allows the central government to establish authorities and control natural resource usage.

## Groundwater Classification in India
The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) categorizes groundwater extraction into Safe, Semi-critical, Critical, and Overexploited, based on the annual groundwater draft relative to the extractable resource. Areas are designated 'overexploited' or 'critical' if extraction surpasses or nearly matches recharge levels. The 2022 National Compilation of Dynamic Ground Water Resources indicates that roughly 16-20% of assessment units (not districts) are overexploited or critical. The claim of 36% of districts being overexploited is an overgeneralization and not consistently supported by the latest official data, making its accuracy questionable.

## India's Global Groundwater Leadership
India holds the world's largest area irrigated by groundwater, covering approximately 39 million hectares. This represents about 65-70% of the country's net irrigated area, supported by millions of wells and tubewells. China, the second-largest, has roughly half of India's groundwater-irrigated area. This extensive reliance positions India as the top global consumer of groundwater, surpassing the combined consumption of the US and China. This status is frequently cited by international bodies like the UN, FAO, and national agricultural water reports.

Answer

Option A: 1 only

Answer

Option C: 2 only

Answer

Option D: 1 and 3 only