Ludhiana's Punjab Agricultural University Joins Forces With Indian Space Research Organisation to Tackle Groundwater Crisis

PAU Collaborates with ISRO to Address Groundwater Crisis in Punjab

Ludhiana: Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has achieved a major research breakthrough with the approval of a nationally important project funded by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The project, sanctioned under ISRO’s RESPOND programme, is titled “Groundwater Regime Impact and Climate Change towards Sustainable Development Goals.” It aims to tackle the pressing challenges of groundwater depletion, sustainability, and climate resilience in India.

The project brings together a multidisciplinary team led by Dr. Samanpreet Kaur, Principal Scientist in the Department of Soil and Water Engineering at PAU. The research group also includes climate specialist Dr. Prabhjyot Kaur Sidhu and Dr. Surbhi Gupta, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology.

In addition, the team will work collaboratively with Rajarshi Saha from ISRO’s National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), integrating advanced space-based tools with academic research to strengthen scientific understanding and policymaking related to groundwater management.

This collaboration marks a significant step toward developing sustainable solutions for one of India’s most critical environmental concerns.

Dr. Kaur highlighted that the partnership reflects the university’s growing contribution to applying geospatial technology to address national security concerns connected with water resources and agriculture.

She explained that with groundwater sustainability becoming a major issue for Indian farming and water security, the research will concentrate on evaluating how climate change is affecting groundwater systems and on creating evidence-based, scientific solutions.