In the water harnessing subject capsule, we have seen in good detail how water harnessing has been the ethos of this land right from Kashmir to Kanya kumari.
It was the understanding and this capability of water harnessing across this land which made India a prosperous land.
India has now come out of clutches of colonial rule. We are also getting back to prosperous days. To further over prosperity we need to have water grid for India just the way we have the power grid for this land. The concept of creating a water grid is not alien to India. Right from the pre-epic days, there have been many instances by the natives of India, who have designed and created a water grid for their region.
Some of the classic examples being:
- Bhagiratha and his fore-fathers creating the Ganga river in North India.
- Rishi Agasthiya and King Kavera creating the Cauveri river in South India.
- The Pallava kings creating the Yeri or Chain tank system in the Karnatic.
- The Chola kings creating the canals of the Cauvery.
- It is these wonderful examples that enthused Sir Arthur Cotton to design the whole Barrage system on the Godavari river.
Big Vs small
The first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru when inaugurating the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, one of the largest dams of the world then, spoke about the need for big as well as small local projects.
India is a very large country. A few large projects alone will not suffice for this nation. The ethos of this nation for the last 5000 years has been to build many local water harnessing projects to meet the needs of the local community.
The world today, is also looking at small local projects as being more effective, when seen on a cost benefit effectiveness ratio. In this subject capsule, we look at as to how this land is highly tailor made for a wholesome localized effective mix of small and large projects all over India culminating in a water grid for this land.
Water grid – prosperity for India.
Sir Arthur Cotton suggested a water grid for India in the late 1800´s itself. K.L.Rao the Irrigation Minister in the Indira Gandhi cabinet stated that if Arthur Cotton’s plan had been implemented, then India today would not have to undergo the present water woes.
The future way:
If India needs to be prosperous again, we need to harness our waters locally for the people benefit and the nations prosperity, in a manner which is in consonance with the ethos of this nation.