Accepted Papers - 3.pdf - UNESCO

like the Indian Easement act which prevent public
participation in water management” 3 . This means
the Government should be vital link in the process
of social mobilization and public awareness. For
instance, the level of Government commitment to
this cause rose significantly in the wake of the fourth
convention on rainwater harvesting organized by
the CSE. The Government must encourage not only
the construction of new water storage systems but
the revival and reuse of the rich legacy of water
storage systems left to us by our leaders of yore. As
Thomas Munro, British Governor of Madras (1820),
said “to attempt the construction of new tanks is
perhaps a more hopeless experiment than the repair
of those which have been filled up (through
siltation). For there is scarcely any place where a
tank can be made to advantage that has not been
applied to this purpose by the inhabitants 4 .
A brief historical perspective of rainwater
harvesting :
Rainwater harvesting is an ancient tradition
that in India dates back to a period even before the
Harappan Civilization to as far back as 4500 B.C.
in the Thar and Rajasthan deserts. It is an integral
part of Indian identity and cultural history and
helped define India. Wells known as ‘Kirs and Beris’
were first built by caravans traveling when they
traversed the desert. These still stand as testimony
to their creative ways of collecting and storing
rainwater not only for household needs but also for
farm and irrigation purposes. The more developed
versions of these-”Kundis” or “Kunds” are used for
drinking water storage, as in Jaisalmer district, even
today, while “Bundela” and “Chandela” with steps
leading down into them were surrounded by gardens
and orchards to glorify the King. There were systems
for harvesting rain from rooftops and courtyards,
for collecting monsoon run-off from the water of
swollen streams or flooded rivers. Rainwater
harvesting managers called “pallars” who inherited
their knowledge and skills, and added to this body
of experience based on careful day-to-day
observation, introduced innovative solutions to
water problems. In 1987 when the modern town of
Chittor ran out of water, the fort of Chittor, equipped
with our efficient water harvesting system, faced
no problems.
In the Moghul era various “Baolis” and
426
reservoirs were constructed, especially in Delhi.
Most of these “Baolis” have since dried up 5 because
of neglect and depleted ground water levels.
Causes of Rainwater Depletion:
In the wake of the Industrial Revolution and
modern technological advancement, two major
shifts took place in the management of water:
a. The state replaced communities and
households as the primary agents for the provision
and management of water.
b. A growing reliance on the use of surface and
groundwater instead of the abundantly available
rainwater and flood water.
Gradually drinking water became very scarce
and the number of villages with drinking water
problems rose significantly. Though the ministry of
rural development sanctioned money to alleviate the
situation, the number of problem villages rose
obviously because of the lack of sustainable use of
land-water-vegetation resources. The causes range
from the political to the social. Anil Agarwal, of
CSE sums up, “ Corruption, lack of people’s interest
in maintaining the Government schemes, land
degradation leading to heavy runoff, heavy
groundwater exploitation leading to lowering of
groundwater levels, neglect of traditional water
harvesting system and growing pollution 5 . The
construction of large dams has augmented the
problem by contributing to human displacement and
forest degradation. Dependence on the state for
water has resulted in complacency among people
who squander state-subsidized water. Traditional
water harvesting systems necessitated responsible
involvement of people – the communities that
managed the systems. Hence the need to restore
those harvesting structures and revive those
management systems through the sustained, perhaps
even aggressive, publicity campaigns.
Methods of Creating Public Awareness
Seminars such as those conducted by the
Institution of Engineers is testimony to the fact that
a considerable degree of awareness about the need
for Rainwater harvesting does exist. We have heard
apparently pessimistic prophecies of the Third
World war breaking out because of scarcity of water
resources but this dismal scenario can be averted if