Question.
Describe how modern adaptations of traditional rainwater harvesting methods are being carried out to conserve and store water.
( Chapter - 3 -Water Resources, Cass X NCERT Contemporary India -II )
Answer.
Rainwater harvesting is a technique in which rainwater is prevented from runoff and rainwater is collected and stored and used for drinking and other purposes.
Following are some of the traditional methods of rainwater harvesting in different parts of India:
Tanka system was prevalent in Rajasthan which is a type of roof rainwater harvesting. Tankas( Tank) are constructed underground inside houses or courtyards. The water in the tank came from a pipe attached to the roof.
Gul and Kul are water harvesting techniques in the Western Himalayas. It was used to irrigate the fields by changing the streams of the river.
In the flood plains of Bengal, people developed floodwater channels to irrigate the fields.
In Rajasthan, pits were constructed in the field to collect rainwater in the semi-arid region. It is locally called "Khadin" in Jaisalmer and "Johad" in other parts of Rajasthan.
By adopting the methods of traditional rainwater harvesting in modern times, water conservation and storage are done in different parts of the country as follows -
Rainwater harvesting has been successfully adopted for water conservation and storage in many parts of rural and urban India.
For example,
Gendathur, a remote backward village in Mysuru, Karnataka, has successfully implemented a rooftop water conservation and storage system to meet its water needs. Rooftop rainwater harvesting has been installed in about 200 houses in this village. Due to this, the villagers have earned the rare distinction of having a rainwater harvesting system. Gendathur receives an annual rainfall of about 100 cm, and if we take 80% collection efficiency, each household collects about 50,000 liters of water annually.
Tamil Nadu is the first state in India to make rooftop rainwater harvesting mandatory for all households across the state. There is also a legal provision to punish those who do not follow it.
Rooftop rainwater harvesting is common in Meghalaya's Shillong, despite ample rainfall. Almost every house in Shillong has a rooftop rainwater harvesting system.
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