Arjamadutta Sarangi

Abstract Groundwater is the primary source of water for agricultural and domestic use in the lower part of the Mahanadi River Basin, particularly in Nayagarh district, Odisha. Increasing groundwater abstraction, coupled with spatial variability in recharge and changing rainfall patterns, has intensified pressure on aquifer systems, highlighting the need for scientifically robust groundwater assessment tools.

1 Introduction Garrett Hardin's “tragedy of the commons” (Hardin, 1968), written five decades ago, continues to offer invaluable insights, much like common wisdom, into the limits of human exploitation of natural resources. These insights are more relevant now than ever before to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (UN, 2015).