PAU Research With ISRO Funding

PAU Secures ISRO Grant for Groundwater Sustainability Research

Ludhiana: Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has received a prestigious research grant from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to carry out an in-depth study on groundwater sustainability across India. The project has been approved under ISRO’s RESPOND (Sponsored Research and Development) programme and will run for a period of three years.

The research focuses on understanding groundwater behaviour under changing climatic conditions and aims to strengthen India’s groundwater security, which is increasingly under threat due to climate change and overexploitation.

The project will be led by Dr Samanpreet Kaur, Principal Scientist and Principal Investigator from PAU’s Department of Soil and Water Engineering. Under this initiative, researchers will monitor groundwater levels nationwide and analyse how climate variability affects groundwater resources. Special attention will be given to identifying regions that are most vulnerable to groundwater-related risks and determining critical periods when these areas face the highest threat.

A key component of the study involves analysing data from NASA’s GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) twin satellites to assess changes in groundwater storage. The research team will also compare satellite-based observations with conventional groundwater monitoring methods to evaluate their effectiveness.

According to the researchers, preliminary observations in Punjab indicate an average annual depletion of nearly 50 cm in groundwater levels. However, detailed scientific analysis is required to validate these trends and understand regional variations across different aquifer systems in the country.

The study aims to provide scientifically sound recommendations on sustainable groundwater extraction limits, helping policymakers and planners ensure long-term water security without compromising environmental balance.