Union minister Giriraj launches ‘Jaldoot’ app to check water levels of selected wells

NEW DELHI, Sep 27 (Agencies): In a bid to enhance country’s water security, Union Rural Development and Panchayati Minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday launched the ‘Jaldoot’ app to check the water level of selected wells in villages.
The minister said the app, developed by the rural development ministry, will enable Gram Rojgar Sahayas to measure the water level of selected wells twice a year (pre-monsoon and post-monsoon).
The measurement and observation of the levels of water tables across the country has become necessary in view of the rapid depletion of underground water and overexploitation of surface-level water.
The rapid pace of depletion of water sources, especially in rural and hinterland of the country, has emerged as a matter of great concern relating to the country’s water security.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has flagged the issue and the need to conserve water on a number of occasions.
With regard to the application of the app, an adequate number of measurement locations, (two-three) shall be selected in every village. These will be representative of the groundwater level in that village.
The app is also aimed to facilitate panchayats with robust data, which can be further used for better planning of works.
The groundwater data could be utilised as part of the Gram Panchayat Development Plan and Mahatma Gandhi NREGA planning exercises.
Further, the data can also be used for different kinds of research and other purposes.
The minister said the country has taken many steps for improvement of water management, both in the rural and urban areas, through watershed development, afforestation, water body development and renovation, rainwater harvesting and so on.
However, withdrawal of groundwater as also utilisation of surface water sources has reached critical levels in many parts of the country, resulting in significant depletion of water levels, causing distress to the community, including farmers. Against this backdrop, measurement and observation of the levels of water tables across the country has become necessary.