Hyderabad-based National Geophysical Research Institute of India (NGRI) has undertaken a major network project for assessment, management and exploration of ground water under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-network programme at a cost of Rs 25 crore. The project is already initiated and expected to be completed by the end of 2007.
In association with six-other CSIR institutes, NGRI (the nodal agency) is working for development of techniques and methodologies for exploration, assessment and management of ground water in hard rock areas in coordination with the Indian Toxicological Research Centre, Lucknow, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Regional Research Laboratory, Bhopal, Central Salt, Marine Chemical Research Institute, Bhavnagar, National Physical Laboratory, Delhi besides Central Ground Water Board.
NGRI has been carrying out extensive research in ground water exploration and has developed data and useful techniques through geophysics, geohydrology, isotope hydrology to tackle the problems of ground water in an efficient way, Dr VP Dimri, director, NGRI told FE.
The studies on water-rock interactions would provide vital data on the chemical evolution of ground water in respect of fluoride, uranium, thorium and heavy metals and the database would help in the design and implementation of suitable measures to contain further pollution of ground water resources, he said.
Further, the institute has developed a simple, low-cost and reliable technique for evaluation of percolation effciency of tanks. The institute has also demonstrated several methods of artificial recharge for different site-specific conditions and methods which are related to the quality problem of drinking water with multiple electrode resistivity and ground penetrating radar techniques.
