In the semi-arid and arid regions of Rajasthan, particularly in Bikaner, Phalodi and Barmer, almost all the houses traditionally had underground tanks or tankas for storing drinking water. The tanks could be as large as a big room. One household in Phalodi had a tank that was 6.1 metres deep, 4.27 mRead more
In the semi-arid and arid regions of Rajasthan, particularly in Bikaner, Phalodi and Barmer, almost all the houses traditionally had underground tanks or tankas for storing drinking water. The tanks could be as large as a big room. One household in Phalodi had a tank that was 6.1 metres deep, 4.27 metres long and 2.44 metres wide. These tankas were part of the well developed rooftop rain water harvesting system. These were built inside the main house or the courtyard. They were connected to the sloping roofs of the houses through a pipe. Rain falling on the rooftops would travel down the pipe and was stored in these underground ‘tankos’. The first spell of rain was usually not collected as this would clean the roofs and the pipes. The rainwater from the subsequent showers was then collected. The rainwater is stored in the tankas till the next rainfall. It is the most reliable source of drinking water when all other sources are dried up, particularly in the summers. Rainwater called as ‘palar pani’ is considered the purest form of natural water. Not only this, many houses construct underground rooms adjoining the ‘tanka’ to beat the summer heat as it would keep the room cool. However, the practice of rooftop rainwater harvesting is on the decline due to the perennial Rajasthan Canal which has made the avaiiability of plenty of water in the area.
Advantages and disadvantages of multi-purpose projects. (a) Advantages: (1) Dams built under the multi-purpose projects help to irrigate agricultural fields. (2) Multi-purpose projects help in generation of electricity. For example, the Bhakra- Nangal project is being used both for hydel power produRead more
Advantages and disadvantages of multi-purpose projects.
(a) Advantages:
(1) Dams built under the multi-purpose projects help to irrigate agricultural fields.
(2) Multi-purpose projects help in generation of electricity. For example, the Bhakra- Nangal project is being used both for hydel power production and irrigation.
(3) It provides water supply for industry and domestic use.
(4) It helps to control flood. For example, the Hirakud project in the Mahanadi basin integrates conservation of water with flood control.
(5) These places have become places of recreation for the people.
(6) These projects are used for inland navigation.
(7) These projects have helped in fish breeding.
(8) ln view of the above advantages, the multi-purpose projects were thought of as the vehicle that would Iead the nation to development and progress. Jawaharlal Nehru proudly proclaimed the dams as the “temples of modern India” because it would integrate development of agriculture and the village economy with rapid industrialisation and growth of the urban economy.
(b) Disadvantages:
(1) It affects the natural flow of the river causing poor sediment flow and excessive sedimentation at the bottom of the reservoir.
(2) Dams fragment rivers making it difficult for aquatic fauna to migrate, especially for spawning.
(3) The reservoirs that are created on the floodplains submerge the existing vegetation and soil leading to its decomposition over a period of time.
(4) These projects lead to large-scale displacement of local communities who have to give up their land and livelihood. This in turn led to social movements like the,Narmada Bachao Andolan’ and ‘Tehri Dam Andolan’.
(5) With irrigation facilities the farmers have changed their crops to water-intensive and commercial crops. This has great ecological consequences like salinisation of the soil.
(6) It has transformed the social landscape i.e., increased the social gap between the richer landowners and the landless poor.
(7) It has led to conflicts between people wanting different uses and benefits from the same water resources as has happened in Gujarat. Where the Sabarmati basin farmers were agitated and almost caused a riot over higher priority given to water supply in urban area, particularly during droughts.
(8) Multi-purpose projects have led to interstate water disputes that are becoming common with regard to sharing the costs and benefits of these projects.
(a) Water scarcity implies water-shortage in low rainfall regions or drought prone areas. It is related to availability of bad quality of water as well. For example, in Rajasthan we see women balancing many 'Matkas'(earthen pots) used for collecting and storing water and travelling long distances toRead more
(a) Water scarcity implies water-shortage in low rainfall regions or drought prone areas. It is related to availability of bad quality of water as well. For example, in Rajasthan we see women balancing many ‘Matkas'(earthen pots) used for collecting and storing water and travelling long distances to get water.
(b) The main causes of scarcity of water are mentioned below:
(1) Increase in population: The water scarcity is an outcome of large and growing population that needs more water for domestic use as well as to produce more food. This leads to over-exploitation of, water resources to expand irrigated areas and dry-season agriculture. More tub wells for irrigation leads to falling ground water levels, adversely affecting water availability.
(2) Intensive industrialisation: In post independent India, there has been intensive Industrialisation. More industries means need for more water and more power to run them. Thus to meet the requirement, energy is produced from hydroelectric power. Thus industrialisation has led to more consumption of water. In India, hydroelectric power contributes 22 per cent of the total electricity produced.
(3) Urbanisation: Multiplying urban centres with large and dense populations life-styles have not only added to water and energy requirements but have further aggravated the problem. People have their own groundwater pumping devices to meet their water needs. This leads to over-exploitation and depletion in the cities.
(4) Bad quality of water too leads to scarcity of water. There may be sufficient water in an area but it may be polluted by domestic and industrial wastes, chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers used in agriculture, thus, making it unsafe for human use.
(5) Unequal access to water among different social groups: Some time, the poor people in Jhuggi-Jhopri colonies may not get water for their use. The well-to-do people in-their colonies may get water. This policy of discrimination of unequal access to water leads to scarcity of water for poor people, particularly in metropolitan cities.
Water becomes a renewable resource by hydrological cycle. The freshwater which is only a small proportion of water available on earth is mainly obtained from surface run off and ground--water that is continually being renewed and recharged through the hydrological cycle. Thus, all water-precipitatioRead more
Water becomes a renewable resource by hydrological cycle. The freshwater which is only a small proportion of water available on earth is mainly obtained from surface run off and ground–water that is continually being renewed and recharged through the hydrological cycle. Thus, all water-precipitations, surface run off and groundwater that moves within the hydrological cycle ensures that water become a renewable resource.
Discuss how rainwater harvesting in semi-arid regions of Rajasthan is carried
In the semi-arid and arid regions of Rajasthan, particularly in Bikaner, Phalodi and Barmer, almost all the houses traditionally had underground tanks or tankas for storing drinking water. The tanks could be as large as a big room. One household in Phalodi had a tank that was 6.1 metres deep, 4.27 mRead more
In the semi-arid and arid regions of Rajasthan, particularly in Bikaner, Phalodi and Barmer, almost all the houses traditionally had underground tanks or tankas for storing drinking water. The tanks could be as large as a big room. One household in Phalodi had a tank that was 6.1 metres deep, 4.27 metres long and 2.44 metres wide. These tankas were part of the well developed rooftop rain water harvesting system. These were built inside the main house or the courtyard. They were connected to the sloping roofs of the houses through a pipe. Rain falling on the rooftops would travel down the pipe and was stored in these underground ‘tankos’. The first spell of rain was usually not collected as this would clean the roofs and the pipes. The rainwater from the subsequent showers was then collected. The rainwater is stored in the tankas till the next rainfall. It is the most reliable source of drinking water when all other sources are dried up, particularly in the summers. Rainwater called as ‘palar pani’ is considered the purest form of natural water. Not only this, many houses construct underground rooms adjoining the ‘tanka’ to beat the summer heat as it would keep the room cool. However, the practice of rooftop rainwater harvesting is on the decline due to the perennial Rajasthan Canal which has made the avaiiability of plenty of water in the area.
See lessCompare the advantages and disadvantages of multi-purpose river projects.
Advantages and disadvantages of multi-purpose projects. (a) Advantages: (1) Dams built under the multi-purpose projects help to irrigate agricultural fields. (2) Multi-purpose projects help in generation of electricity. For example, the Bhakra- Nangal project is being used both for hydel power produRead more
Advantages and disadvantages of multi-purpose projects.
See less(a) Advantages:
(1) Dams built under the multi-purpose projects help to irrigate agricultural fields.
(2) Multi-purpose projects help in generation of electricity. For example, the Bhakra- Nangal project is being used both for hydel power production and irrigation.
(3) It provides water supply for industry and domestic use.
(4) It helps to control flood. For example, the Hirakud project in the Mahanadi basin integrates conservation of water with flood control.
(5) These places have become places of recreation for the people.
(6) These projects are used for inland navigation.
(7) These projects have helped in fish breeding.
(8) ln view of the above advantages, the multi-purpose projects were thought of as the vehicle that would Iead the nation to development and progress. Jawaharlal Nehru proudly proclaimed the dams as the “temples of modern India” because it would integrate development of agriculture and the village economy with rapid industrialisation and growth of the urban economy.
(b) Disadvantages:
(1) It affects the natural flow of the river causing poor sediment flow and excessive sedimentation at the bottom of the reservoir.
(2) Dams fragment rivers making it difficult for aquatic fauna to migrate, especially for spawning.
(3) The reservoirs that are created on the floodplains submerge the existing vegetation and soil leading to its decomposition over a period of time.
(4) These projects lead to large-scale displacement of local communities who have to give up their land and livelihood. This in turn led to social movements like the,Narmada Bachao Andolan’ and ‘Tehri Dam Andolan’.
(5) With irrigation facilities the farmers have changed their crops to water-intensive and commercial crops. This has great ecological consequences like salinisation of the soil.
(6) It has transformed the social landscape i.e., increased the social gap between the richer landowners and the landless poor.
(7) It has led to conflicts between people wanting different uses and benefits from the same water resources as has happened in Gujarat. Where the Sabarmati basin farmers were agitated and almost caused a riot over higher priority given to water supply in urban area, particularly during droughts.
(8) Multi-purpose projects have led to interstate water disputes that are becoming common with regard to sharing the costs and benefits of these projects.
What is water scarcity and what are its main causes?
(a) Water scarcity implies water-shortage in low rainfall regions or drought prone areas. It is related to availability of bad quality of water as well. For example, in Rajasthan we see women balancing many 'Matkas'(earthen pots) used for collecting and storing water and travelling long distances toRead more
(a) Water scarcity implies water-shortage in low rainfall regions or drought prone areas. It is related to availability of bad quality of water as well. For example, in Rajasthan we see women balancing many ‘Matkas'(earthen pots) used for collecting and storing water and travelling long distances to get water.
See less(b) The main causes of scarcity of water are mentioned below:
(1) Increase in population: The water scarcity is an outcome of large and growing population that needs more water for domestic use as well as to produce more food. This leads to over-exploitation of, water resources to expand irrigated areas and dry-season agriculture. More tub wells for irrigation leads to falling ground water levels, adversely affecting water availability.
(2) Intensive industrialisation: In post independent India, there has been intensive Industrialisation. More industries means need for more water and more power to run them. Thus to meet the requirement, energy is produced from hydroelectric power. Thus industrialisation has led to more consumption of water. In India, hydroelectric power contributes 22 per cent of the total electricity produced.
(3) Urbanisation: Multiplying urban centres with large and dense populations life-styles have not only added to water and energy requirements but have further aggravated the problem. People have their own groundwater pumping devices to meet their water needs. This leads to over-exploitation and depletion in the cities.
(4) Bad quality of water too leads to scarcity of water. There may be sufficient water in an area but it may be polluted by domestic and industrial wastes, chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers used in agriculture, thus, making it unsafe for human use.
(5) Unequal access to water among different social groups: Some time, the poor people in Jhuggi-Jhopri colonies may not get water for their use. The well-to-do people in-their colonies may get water. This policy of discrimination of unequal access to water leads to scarcity of water for poor people, particularly in metropolitan cities.
Explain how water becomes a renewable resource.
Water becomes a renewable resource by hydrological cycle. The freshwater which is only a small proportion of water available on earth is mainly obtained from surface run off and ground--water that is continually being renewed and recharged through the hydrological cycle. Thus, all water-precipitatioRead more
Water becomes a renewable resource by hydrological cycle. The freshwater which is only a small proportion of water available on earth is mainly obtained from surface run off and ground–water that is continually being renewed and recharged through the hydrological cycle. Thus, all water-precipitations, surface run off and groundwater that moves within the hydrological cycle ensures that water become a renewable resource.
See lessIn which of the following states bamboo drip irrigation is prevalent ?
(b) Meghalaya
(b) Meghalaya
See less