Traditional Water Conservation Method
About the Practice
To conserve water coming down from hilly areas
Detail:
"Khaatri"- a water conservation arrangement: Hilly areas, dry regions, and flood-prone areas are susceptible to environmental dangers. A lot of ingenuity is required for day to day survival in such areas. Still, its a reality that people living in such areas. Still its a reality that people living in such areas strive to protect their natural heritage in spite of lack of policy of support. A traditional, yet modern rain water conservation method known as khaatri or dingi is quite popular in the remote areas of Himachal Pradesh, particularly in Hamirpur and Kamgra districts. Problem of polluted waters: A disturbing incident in Bilaspur town of Himachal Pradesh made more people to make use of khaatri for conserving water, some years back, putrid animal flesh and hair were seen floating on a lake in Bilaspur for eight days. In closer search, it was found coming from dead animal in the lake. After this incident, the people started to use water from khaatri, in which rainwater is stored. Khaatri is the best example of adaptation of traditional conditions. The topography of this region is unique, it is largely hilly, with lot of large sedimentary rocks, which has poor water retaining capacity. The region receives over 2200 mm rain per year but most of the water flows down the hills, creating soil erosion in the process. Gradual soil erosion has resulted in to rocks slopes in the mountains, which are knows as supada. The supadas, which are observed more in Hamirpur and Kamgra districts, are of two types- one, hard and strong and another, hard yet tractable. The hard and strong variety of supada are dung out and then cut to shapes for use in house building. Method of making khaatri The other variety of supada, i.e., hard and tractable arte chosen for making khaatri, preferably at the base of the slopes. A three to four metre long horizontal ravine is dug out. Then a deep vertical tank is prepared at the inside edge of the ravine. Steps are crafted in the ravine to reach to the tanks. khaatri may be owned by the individuals or community. Individual holders protect their khaatri may be owned by the individuals or community. Individual holders protect their khaatri by keeping them locked. Several khaatri can be constructed at one level of the mountain but never one below the other as the water in upper khaatri would flow to the lower one. Purpose of constructing khaatri is to harvest the rain water flowing down the hills and rocks, which otherwise would go to the plains. Clean water: Water flowing down from the sedimentary rocks and slopes and deposited in the tanks is of high quality. The stored water is very clean and is fit for human use. One can observe rain waters seeping in to the khaatri by drops during the rainy season. The process continues for one or two months after the rains and then it stops. Excess water spills out. Khaatri are beneficial in two ways; it stores the rain water, and recharges the ground water. A typical khaatri holds 30,000-50,000 litre of water. Receding water can be accessed by the steps. A dried up khaatri can be used as a cool resting place in hot summer months. Preparing khaatri is a strenuous job that needs experienced workers. Two skilled workers can make a khaatri in 20 days. A 10 feet deep khaatri having 10 steps costs Rs. 10,000/- litres. The cost is determined by the number of steps. An experienced khaatri maker can judge whether the khaatri would hold water all the year, or only for the monsoon. Some villages of Hamirpur district leave one khaatri each household. Unri village of Changar area has a khaatri in each house. Construction cost is rising due to the shortage of skilled workers, but the people of Himachal are firm in preserving this traditional, innovative water storing technique.
About the Innovator
Address: Kangra Himachal Pradesh
City: Kangra
State: Himachal Pradesh
PIN Code 176001
Practice Details
Link: The other variety of supada, i.e., hard and tractable arte chosen for making khaatri, preferably at the base of the slopes. A three to four metre long horizontal ravine is dug out. Then a deep vertical tank is prepared at the inside edge of the ravine. Steps are crafted in the ravine to reach to the tanks. khaatri may be owned by the individuals or community. Individual holders protect their khaatri may be owned by the individuals or community. Individual holders protect their khaatri by keeping them locked. Several khaatri can be constructed at one level of the mountain but never one below the other as the water in upper khaatri would flow to the lower one. Purpose of constructing khaatri is to harvest the rain water flowing down the hills and rocks, which otherwise would go to the plains.
Manufacturing Capacity: b) Design Support
c) Sub-contracting
e) Franchising
Photo Links:
News Link 5: