Water levels dip alarmingly

Nizamabad: As summer advances, the groundwater table is falling rapidly in different parts of the district. Piezometers installed at different locations show a steep fall in water levels in the district. According to officials, water is available at 13.08 meters below the ground level in Kamareddy sub-division. In Nizamabad sub-division, it is between 10 and 12 meters. Similarly, water is available at 7.59 meters in Bodhan sub-division. The water position is not better in other parts of the district. Officials said that Peddamalla Reddy village of Biknoor mandal was now in a danger zone where water is available at more than 23 meters below ground level. In general, those places where the water levels fall below 15 meters are considered to be the danger zones. The groundwater table has fallen alarmingly in the district due to scanty rainfall and excess extraction of water. The district administration has already banned the drilling of new bore wells in 167 villages keeping in view the poor ground water levels. According to officials, the district has about 1.80 lakh agriculture pump set connections and another 20,000 connections are being operated illegally by farmers. The farmers are already worried about their standing crops. Due to unscheduled power cuts and erratic power supply, the crops cultivated in thousands of acres are withering away in Nizamabad district. On the other hand, many villages are facing acute shortage of drinking water and bore wells had become defunct at different places in the district.