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PHOTO BLOG: Ancient water harvesting for new dry times?

by NO_AUTHOR | Thomson Reuters Foundation
Wednesday, 25 July 2012 10:45 GMT

* Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.

The dry regions of India have a long history of collecting rainwater. Indian water guru Anupam Mishra has photographed some of the country's old - and new - water projects, as part of his effort to promote water conservation and management.

The dry regions of India have a long history of collecting rainwater. Indian water guru Anupam Mishra has photographed some of the country's old - and new - water projects, as part of his effort to promote water conservation and management, particularly through sharing knowledge of ancient rainwater harvesting systems.

Pictures taken by Anupam Mishra in Rajasthan, India.

The Thar "Golden" Desert receives the lowest rainfall in the country and has largely saline groundwater at levels 100m below the surface.

The 400 year old Jargah Fort, close to Jaipur, collects 6 million gallons of rainwater in one season via its 15km of canals.

Indira Gandhi Canal is one of the government of India's multi-billion dollar projects to channel water from the state of Punjab to the Thar Desert. It has fallen into disrepair.

In the ancient desert city of Jaisalmer, situated in one of India's driest regions, every rooftop is designed to collect and channel rainwater directly into households.   

A stepped 11th century water harvesting structure in Todaraisingh, in the Tonk district of Rajasthan.

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