Over the years, the number of “safe mandals” in Telangana has steadily declined, while those classified as semi-critical and critical have continued to rise.
According to the Ground Water Resource Assessment 2025, released here on Monday, agriculture remains the dominant consumer of groundwater, accounting for over 90% of total extraction.
The data highlights a worsening trend. In 2024, 85 mandals were categorised as semi-critical, where groundwater extraction ranges between 71% and 90%, and 13 were classified as critical, with extraction levels between 91% and 100%. The latest assessment shows a further deterioration – an additional 20 mandals have slipped into the semi-critical category, taking the total to 105, while six more have moved into the critical category, raising that number to 19.
“Because of free electricity, paddy, a water-intensive crop, continues to be a preferred choice, with many farmers relying heavily on borewells. It is high time that crop diversification and the promotion of water-efficient crops are prioritised,” officials said. If groundwater stress pushes more mandals into the over-exploited category, the impact could soon extend to industrial development as well, they opined.
