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Groundwater · Punjab · 2025

Dark zone areas in Punjab

19 of 23 districts in Punjab pumped out more groundwater than was recharged in 2025 (over-exploited, the "dark zone"). 1 more was critical and 0 semi-critical. Across the state, 156% of the extractable groundwater was used.

Groundwater in PunjabRainwater harvesting rules

Over-exploited districts (19)

Stage of extraction above 100% in 2025.

  1. 1Sangrur310%
  2. 2Malerkotla302%
  3. 3Jalandhar281%
  4. 4Kapurthala243%
  5. 5Moga233%
  6. 6Barnala219%
  7. 7Patiala209%
  8. 8Tarn Taran202%
  9. 9Ludhiana195%
  10. 10Fatehgarh Sahib182%
  11. 11Amritsar160%
  12. 12Bathinda128%
  13. 13Hoshiarpur125%
  14. 14Gurdaspur121%
  15. 15Faridkot119%
  16. 16SAS Nagar117%
  17. 17SBS Nagar115%
  18. 18Firozpur109%
  19. 19Mansa109%

Critical districts (1)

Stage of extraction 90–100% in 2025.

  1. 1Rupnagar93%

Getting worse fastest

Rise in stage of extraction since 2017, in percentage points.

What a dark zone means for you

Borewells go deeper every few years and some run dry in summer. New groundwater use for business needs a CGWA NOC with recharge conditions. The fix is to put rain back: at 700 mm of rain a year, a 100 m² house roof recharges about 60,000 litres.

Rainwater harvesting cost in SangrurBorewell rechargeRecharge pit calculator

Frequently asked questions

Which areas of Punjab are in the dark zone?

In CGWB's 2025 assessment, 19 of 23 districts in Punjab were over-exploited (dark zone): Sangrur, Malerkotla, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Moga, Barnala, Patiala, Tarn Taran, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Amritsar, Bathinda and 7 more.

Is Punjab's groundwater over-exploited overall?

The state pumped out 156% of its extractable groundwater in 2025, which CGWB classes as over-exploited.

Can I get a new borewell in a dark zone of Punjab?

Homes usually can, with local registration; some cities restrict new borewells. Industry, infrastructure, mining and commercial users need a Central Ground Water Authority NOC, which in over-exploited areas carries tighter limits and recharge conditions. Groundwater extraction is regulated by the Punjab Water Regulation and Development Authority under the Punjab Groundwater Extraction and Conservation Directions, 2023 (permissions and charges). Whether domestic users are exempt was not confirmed.

Source: CGWB Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment 2025, district figures. CGWB classifies blocks (assessment units); a district's figure is the average of its blocks, so a district shown here as safe can still contain over-exploited blocks.