The report titled “Dynamic Groundwater Resources of Karnataka, 2025,” has revealed troubling insights regarding the groundwater situation in Bengaluru and its neighboring districts.
Published on Wednesday, the report highlights that while the Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru South, Chikkaballapur, and Kolar districts exhibit moderate to high rates of groundwater recharge, the levels of extraction are alarmingly higher. Consequently, a significant number of taluks around the capital have been classified as ‘over-exploited’.
This trend starkly contrasts with other regions in the state, where groundwater usage has shown a decrease. The Madikeri taluk in Kodagu district recorded the lowest recharge-to-extraction ratio, with only 5.91 percent of its recharge being utilized. In sharp relief, Bengaluru East in the Bengaluru Urban district had an extraction rate soaring to an astonishing 378.85 percent, as indicated by the report.
The findings, compiled by the Groundwater Directorate of Minor Irrigation and Ground Water Development Department alongside the Central Ground Water Board, reveal that 85 taluks maintain an extraction rate below 50 percent of their recharge capacity. Meanwhile, 60 taluks extract between 50 and 70 percent, 36 taluks between 70 and 90 percent, and 11 taluks between 90 and 100 percent. Notably, 27 taluks exceed their annual recharge, with extraction rates ranging from 100 to 150 percent, while 11 taluks extract between 150 and 200 percent, five taluks between 200 and 250 percent, and two taluks surpassing 250 percent.
Despite these concerning figures, the overall groundwater recharge has improved since 2025. The partial implementation of the Cauvery-V stage water supply in Bengaluru has contributed to better groundwater levels in the city, the report indicates.
N S Boseraju, the Minister of Minor Irrigation and Science and Technology, attributed the notable decline in groundwater usage to ongoing water conservation initiatives and favorable rainfall, which have facilitated aquifer recharge.
The reduction in groundwater extraction correlates with the expansion of water conservation infrastructure throughout Karnataka. The recharge attributed to such structures has seen a growth of 29.11 percent, increasing from 0.81 billion cubic meters (BCM) in 2024 to 1.04 BCM in 2025.
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