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प्रश्न
What is watershed management? Do you think it can play an important role in sustainable development?
What is watershed management?
उत्तर
Watershed management basically refers to efficient management and conservation of surface and groundwater resources with community participation. It involves the prevention of runoff and storage and recharge of groundwater through various methods like percolation tanks, recharge wells, etc. However, in broad sense watershed management includes conservation, regeneration, and judicious use of all resources – natural (like land, water, plants, and animals) and the human within a watershed. Watershed management aims at bringing about a balance between natural resources on the one hand and society on the other. The success of watershed development largely depends upon community participation. In short, the community is the soul of the entire scheme.
Watershed management not only conserves the entire ecosystem of an area but also empowers the people by making them socially and economically self-reliant as it has community participation as its vital component. Since local people understand the local ecosystem in the best way, therefore they conserve in the best way. Sustainable development is the development, which fulfills the needs of the present generation without depriving the future generations of the benefits arising from the resources. Watershed management helps to conserve the environment along with fulfilling the needs of the people.
The importance of watershed management in sustainable development has been identified and many programs both by government and NGOs have been launched for watershed management. Some examples are—
Haryalis, a watershed development project sponsored by the Central Government which aims at enabling the rural population to conserve water for drinking, irrigation, fisheries, and afforestation. The Project is being executed by Gram Panchayats with people’s participation.
Neeru-Meeru (Water and You) program (in Andhra Pradesh) and Arvary Pani Sansad (in Alwar, Rajasthan) have taken up constructions of various water-harvesting structures such as percolation tanks, dug out ponds (Jihad), check dams, -etc. through people’s participation. Tamil Nadu has made water harvesting structures in the houses compulsory. No building can be constructed without making structures for water harvesting.
संबंधित प्रश्न
Haryali program is related to the development of ____________.
Which one is not related to the watershed development projects?
Neeru-Meeru program belongs to which state?
Which of the following is a program under watershed management?
We need to encourage watershed development due to which of the following reason/s?
Which of these options correctly defines watershed management?
Read the following case study and answer question:
| Ralegan Siddhi is a small village in the district of Ahmadnagar, Maharashtra. It has become an example for watershed development throughout the country. In 1975, this village was caught in a web of poverty and illicit liquor trade. The transformation took place when a retired army personnel settled down in the village and took up the task of watershed development. He convinced villagers about the importance of family planning and voluntary labour; preventing open grazing, felling trees, and liquor prohibition. Voluntary labour was necessary to ensure minimum dependence on the government for financial aid. Even those who were working outside the village contributed to the development by committing a month's salary every year. Work began with the percolation tank constructed in the village. In 1975, the tank could not hold water. The embankment wall leaked. People voluntarily repaired the embankment. The seven wells below it swelled with water in summer for the first time in the living memory of the people. The people reposed their faith in him and his visions. A youth group called Tarun Mandal was formed. The group worked to ban the dowry system, caste discrimination and un touch ability. Liquor distilling units were removed and prohibition imposed. Open grazing was completely banned with a new emphasis on stallfeeding. The cultivation of water intensive crops like sugarcane was banned. Crops such as pulses, oilseeds and certain cash crops with low water requirements were encouraged. All elections to local bodies began to be held on the basis of consensus. "It made the community leaders complete representatives of the people." A system of Nyay Panchayats (informal courts) were also set up. Since then, no case has been referred to the police. A Rs. 22 lakh school building was constructed using only the resources of the village. No donations were taken. Money, if needed, was borrowed and paid back. The villagers took pride in this selfreliance. A new system of sharing labour grew out of this infusion of pride and voluntary spirit. People volunteered to help each other in agricultural operations. Landless labourers also gained employment. |
(1) Which of the following methods of water conservation brought prosperity in Ralegan Siddhi?
- Rainwater harvesting
- Watershed development
- Groundwater recharge
- Construction of dams
(2) Which of the following measures were taken to increase democratic participation in the village?
- Construction of school
- Local body elections
- Liquor prohibition
- All of the above
(3) Which of the following made Ralegan Siddhi independent of government's financial aid?
- Prohibition of liquor
- Voluntary labour
- Local body election
- Agriculture
"The Central and State Governments have initiated many watershed development and management programmes in the country." Justify the statement.
