In Punjab, water scarcity has reached a critical point amid rapid depletion of groundwater levels in most of the districts. Out of the total 23 districts of the state, the situation is extremely worrying in about eight districts, while in nine districts the water level has reached a critical state. According to a Central Ground Water Board’s report, about 17 billion cubic meters of groundwater is available in the state while 28 billion cubic meters of water is being exploited.

Akashvani’s correspondent reports that the worst situation is in the Chief Minister’s own district Sangrur where the water level has gone down by more than 44 meters. The water level is continuously going down in Patiala, Pathankot, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Ropar, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar districts and it is between 28 to 43 meters in these districts. Due to excessive water exploitation, about 78 percent of the state’s area is in the dark zone. Agricultural experts consider paddy crops to be the main reason for this.