Traditional Water Management Systems of India

The book is based on seminar proceedings on Traditional Water Management Systems organised by the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal and held in four components, at Bhopal, Ahmedabad, Pune and Bhandara. Apart from presenting history of water management in India from ancient to contemporary times, this book brings out managerial, legal and financial problems which stand in the way of recycling of local water harvesting structures. Simple techniques of conserving water, farmer managed irrigation systems, law and policy of water management, study of tanks, recharging of springs, and Chalcolitic irrigation in Pune Distt. are some of the topics dealt with in detail. As the theme of the seminar suggests, site-specific examples of various water management systems have been given from archaeological record and contemporary contexts. This book has thirty three articles as well as suggestions and recommendations written by eminent scholars, which will prove useful in implementing various programmes. The papers bring out the fact that traditional water harvesting strategies continue to be relevant in development planning today. Such themes are not generally tackled by research organisations and govern-mental institutions. This work should, therefore, be a welcome addition to all libraries interested in the history and development of water management in India.