Question

Describe how modern adaptations of traditional rainwater harvesting methods are being carried out to conserve and store water.

Answer 1

Hint: There are few traditional rainwater harvesting methods that are carried out to conserve and store water. These are Kul, Bamboo Drip Irrigation System, Johads, Zabo, Eri, Khadin, Vir Das, Sangam, Ahar Pynes, and Kunds/Kundis.

Complete answer:
There are many traditional methods of rainwater harvesting. Out of these, the rooftop method is becoming more popular in India. 200 households have adopted the rooftop rainwater harvesting method in Gendathur, Mysore which made the village rich in rainwater. It was made compulsory for all the houses in the state of Tamil Nadu to have rooftop rainwater harvesting structures. If not the defaulters would be severely punished. Since antiquity, the water has been harvested in India with our ancestors perfecting the art of water management. Many water harvesting structures and water conveyance systems, specific to the eco-regions and culture have been developed. The raindrop was directly harvested by them. They collected water from the roof-tops and stored it in the tanks built by them in their courtyards. They collected the rainwater and stores it in the artificial wells from the open community lands. They harvested monsoon runoff by capturing water from the swollen streams during monsoon season and stored it in various forms of water bodies.

Note: They harvested water even from the flooded rivers. Only a few traditional water harvesting methods are not practiced in different places, but different methods are used in different places. For example, in the Western Rajasthan region, Paar is a common water harvesting practice.