The water that is found under the ground in the cracks and spaces in the soil, sand or rocks is called groundwater. It is utilized as drinking water, for crop irrigation, and in industries. Around 300 districts in India have reported a lowering in the level of
the groundwater by over 4 meters in the past 20 years. This decline is particularly observed in the agriculturally prosperous regions of Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh, hard rock plateau areas of central and south India, certain coastal areas as well as the rapidly growing urban centres.
