Study Quantum Of Transboundary Groundwater Drainage from India to Pakistan

With IWT of 1960 between Pakistan and India, Pakistan is bound to welcome any extra surface flows and drainage effluent as being generated in India, as entering Pakistan due to natural surface drainage pattern. At the time of aforementioned treaty with India, the surface drainage water entering Pakistan was not creating any pollution issues. In contrary, nowadays the drains entering Pakistan, particularly Hudiara Drain is heavily laden with industrial, domestic and agro-chemical pollutants. Thus, with passage of time, urban, industrial and agricultural intensification ensuing to population increase across the boundary has now changed both the discharge and pollution patterns throughout the year. Also, throughout the Indian Punjab, excessive groundwater is being pumped, that too supported by electricity subsidy by the Indian government. That is why groundwater is being depleted at the highest possible rates across the borders in Indian Punjab. This has been established by international experts through GRACE studies [1], as well as Indian published research on groundwater in the area. With this developing story across the borders, the groundwater situation in Pakistani Punjab is also aggravating to various extents in different areas. However, the groundwater levels in Bari Doab are depleting excessively as compared to other Doabs in Punjab of Pakistan.