We all have learnt about rain water harvesting method in our schools as an effective method for conservation of water and our environment. The process is simple; rainwater is collected when it falls on the earth, stored and utilized at a later point.
AmlaRuia, a social activist based in Mumbai made a remarkable contribution in the lives of nearly 2 lakh farmers by using traditional rain water harvesting techniques by transforming 100 villages in the drought prone state of the country, Rajasthan. She succeeded in converting the dry and deserted farms with the help of check dam constructions and involved the local communities to make the model more sustainable. Check dams rendered all the advantages similar to large dams and were also cost effective. Amla’s mindful intervention into the lives of the helpless farmers in Rajasthan has resulted in sufficient water to carry out a year’s irrigation process. If this simple technique can bring such a substantial change in scorching Rajasthan, imagine what it can do in other cities!
