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Maharashtra’s Groundwater and Basaltic Aquifers with Vivek Grewal

Hydrogeologist Vivek Grewal joins Pavan Srinath to explore how Maharashtra’s unique basalt geology shapes groundwater storage, availability and risk.

Feb 12, 2026

Hydrogeologist Vivek Grewal joins Pavan Srinath to explore how Maharashtra’s unique basalt geology shapes groundwater storage, availability and risk.

The conversation explores how the Deccan Traps were formed, how vesicles, fractures and weathered rock store water, and why groundwater in Maharashtra behaves very differently from granite aquifers in South India.

Vivek takes us from mantle plumes and lava flows 65 million years ago to today’s seasonal and perennial aquifers, open wells versus borewells, recharge pits, farm ponds, and the delicate balance between upstream and downstream water security.

The conversation also explores how farmers adapt cropping patterns under seasonal water constraints and why cities like Pune must identify and protect recharge zones to secure their future.

 

Pavan Srinath is Managing Partner, Communications and Development at WELL Labs. Pavan is a communications and public policy professional who has spent over 14 years working in Bangalore’s not-for-profit sector.

Vivek Grewal is the managing partner with the Technical Consulting programme at WELL Labs. He has around 9+ years of experience in the water sector. He is passionate about taking the science of hydrology to the grassroots organisations.
This episode is essential viewing for anyone working on water security, agriculture, rural development, or groundwater governance, as well as for those trying to understand why South India’s water challenges are fundamentally different from those of the Gangetic plains.

Resources:

  1. Pavan Srinath: LinkedIn, WELL Labs Website
  2. Vivek Grewak: LinkedIn, WELL Labs Website
  3. ACWADAM website
  4. Pune’s Aquifers, ACWADAM
  5. Monitoring and Evaluation of Recharge Pits in Marathwada (Part 1)
  6. Monitoring and Evaluation of Recharge Pits in Marathwada (Part 2)
  7. Why do parts of Maharashtra experience different water stress levels?
  8. When Wells Fill Fast and Dry Faster: Lessons from Nashik’s Basaltic Uplands
  9. Can Recharge Pits Address Waterlogging and Drought in Marathwada? | Initial Insights
  10. Unpredictable Rainfall Makes Farming in Marathwada Even Harder
  11. Why Jalna’s Wells Run Dry: Understanding Water and Soil in Drought-Prone Maharashtra

The WELL Labs Show features rich conversations on water, environment, land and livelihoods, from the people and partners of WELL Labs. Hosted by Pavan Srinath, each episode explores complex environmental and social issues and helps you understand systems and dynamics better.

Subscribe to The WELL Labs show on the WELL Labs YouTube channel. 

Recording by Nabina Chakraborty and Vraj Acharya  

Video editing by Ranjith Kumar S

Graphics and artwork by Kanishka Goyal and Aparna Nambiar

Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath

 

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