Impact of anthropogenic activities on the alluvial aquifers of north-east Punjab, India.

An increase in the human population, urbanization, industrialization, infrastructural development, and current agricultural practices acts as major factors leading to the decline of the groundwater table in the region. The present study analyzes the noticeable effect of anthropogenic pressure on the groundwater table in the Bist-Doab region in Punjab, India, from 1996 to 2016. Statistical techniques, viz., Mann-Kendall Z statistics and Sen's slope, were used to estimate the water table decline in the area. The results indicate that there was a slight increase in the groundwater table in the Kandi belt of Siwalik foothills and south-western parts of the region. In the rest of the areas, a significant declining trend was observed in the groundwater table. The decline in the water table ranged from 56 to 149 cm per year in the pre- and post-monsoon seasons due to increasing in rice cultivated area, which is an alarming situation in the aquifer system of the region. Hence, to reduce the further decline of the groundwater table, water management practices need to be encouraged in the region. There is requiring immediate attention to change the present land-use/cover practices and to grow less water-consuming crops instead of high water-consuming crops to reduce the pressure on groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]