The Times of India       30.06.2011

KAMPUR: Proper rainwater harvesting can help farmers in a big way by recharging the depleting water level of their tube-wells.

According to scientists of Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, rainwater can be stored in large pits and storage tanks.

Rainwater harvesting is the accumulation and storing of rainwater for reuse, before it reaches the aquifer.

They said that monsoon has reached the city on time after a long gap, so the rainfall will be good this year.

A weather scientist at CSA varsity, C B Singh, said, "This year, even summer season was not too hot. The changes in wind directions are also responsible for the timely arrival of monsoon."

Anirudh Dubey, an agricultural scientist at CSA varsity, said, "Rainwater collection can be very beneficial in various ways. At many places, rainwater is the only available and economical water resource. A good rainwater harvesting channel can be constructed from inexpensive raw materials. It is usually successful in residential localities."

Dubey added that if farmers wisely use the rainwater in the fields, there will be no need to re-bore the tube-wells every year, as they will self-recharge the underground water.

The urban people can also make soak-pits or rainwater collection tanks on the terrace of their houses. The water can be sent to bore-well through a pipeline to recharge the groundwater. Tree plantation also helps in recharging groundwater.