Rain water harvesting
Pragmatic
Solution
“It
rains everyday around the world”. It is true in a sense. Somewhere
or the other it is raining. But still draught prevails in most part of
the world. Water, the essential element for life and vegetation eludes
certain regions.
Although
now termed as a third world country, India
still
cannot cope up with the basic necessity “Water”. Having stepped
into the space-age-with remarkable success, we still seem to lag
behind in becoming self sufficient in our basic needs. We have
satellite sending us accurate weather conditions with predictable
rainfall for the given year. But still cannot apply this technology to
sustain water for our vegetation, animals nor human beings. An
essential part of our infrastructure, water shortage in certain parts
of the country looms like a heavy cloud (?) Andhra Pradesh, Bihar,
Rajasthan, Gujrat and some parts of Maharashtra are places which often
face this overdeal. Out of the total rainfall only 30% to 60% of water
gets utilised for drinking and vegetation. Whereas 40% to 70% rainfall
water is wasted (ruin off) If proper storage system are adopted this
sunoff water can be harnessed. And then there shall be no dearth of
water.
The
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid tropics (ICRISA)
has come up with a plan to conserve rainfall water. With 27 years
experience in rainwater harvesting and watershed management the
strategy is sound and implementable and can solve the water problem to
some extent.
According
to Director General of ICRISAT rainfall efficiency for crop production
can be increased upto 70%. This can be achieved by adopting integrated
watershed management. He added that rainwater must be conserved and
used efficiently in a manner that water is always available for crops,
animals and human beings, the Semi Arid Tropics (SAT) get erratic
rainfall.
Rain
harvesting mean storage of water got from rainfall. Instead of letting
the rainwater run off, ways and means should be created to store this
water. For instance large pieces of vacant land can be dug
out
and inlets to be made so as the rainwater flows in it. By large tracts
of land it mean hectares of land. Big storage tanks to be built on top
of hills and then the lake water can be pumped in this tanks. Thus the
water collected can be flowed back to the fields by gravity.
Governments
should make it mandatory all upcoming building construction to have
rain harvest systems to be installed in new construction. Big
underground water storage tanks should be built and drain pipes from
buildings should be connected to these tanks so this water can be
connected to these tanks so this water can be atleast used for
vegetation purposes at times of water scarcity.
Rain
water harvesting has proved to be viable and are the only answer to
water shortage in the future.
