Groundwater crisis in Punjab is widening social and economic divide, finds study
A recent study reports that Punjab’s groundwater depletion is deepening social and economic inequalities. About 76% of the state’s irrigation blocks are classified as over‑exploited, the highest share in India. Dependence on groundwater for water‑intensive crops such as wheat and rice forces farmers to drill deeper, raising costs, causing land to sink and water quality to worsen.