Overview

Coastal Gujarat, home to over 1,600 kilometers of shoreline, is one of India’s most salinity-affected regions. Over the decades, the slow ingress of seawater into groundwater and soil has silently eroded the backbone of rural livelihoods. Today, Gujarat accounts for 2.23 million hectares of saline land—the highest in India—leading to an estimated annual agricultural loss of ₹100 billion.

The crisis is multi-layered:

• Expanding salinity zones: ISRO data shows saline land area has grown from 12,164 sq. km in 1960 to 18,073 sq. km in 2019.
• Unsafe drinking water: A 2023 CGWB study revealed that 85% of Gujarat’s districts have groundwater affected by salinity and other contaminants.
• Declining groundwater levels: Regions like Morbi, Surendranagar, Kutch, and parts of Saurashtra report drops of more than 4 meters, worsening salinity intrusion.