Drawing Down the Buffer-Science and Politics of Ground Water Management in India

Science and Politics of Ground Water Management in India Marcus Moench Ground water resources in India are showing increasing indications of overdevelopment. Well numbers have increased dramatically since the 1950s and overdraft and saline intrusion problems have become major issues in some locations. The overall magnitude of overdevelopment problems, their potential social implications, and existing management options are, however, unclear. The purpose of this paper is to examine selected ground water issues and discuss potential policy implications. An introductory overview is presented first. This is followed by brief analyses of the causes of overdevelopment, key information gaps in understanding the magnitude of ground water problems, and potential management alternatives. Policy implications are discussed in the final section.