Pragya Singh : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Northeast Hills)

Pragya Singh : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Northeast Hills)

During heavy rainfalls in NORTH EASTERN hills faces flash floods in urban upstream n soil erosion in rural downstream. Winters are dry which leads to lesser cultivation. Since both the rural and the urban areas are dependent hydrologically, I conceptualized integrated management system.

This system consists of many interlinked small watersheds (partly underground) at different levels of the hill to collect rainwater. Grooves are dug along the contours at different levels, which are open and directed towards respective community tanks (every individual house has its own simple rain water harvesting system comprising of a small above ground tank which collects clean roof water for drinking).

During heavy rains we can capture a large amount of water, which can be useful during dry winters for irrigation and domestic uses. During winters water can be pumped up during winters, since the tanks are interlinked....

Planned n thick cultivation (specially above the grooves) to help control soil erosion...
SINCE it’s a complicated n huge system plan, there will be many important considerations and required procedures to make it practically possible.

Firstly, I myself need to be well acquainted with knowledge of north east India n water structure over there...this can b done by research n social interactions.

Secondly, this is not a one man task ...it will need support n direction from experienced n enthusiastic people...to work it up as a team...

Thirdly, field study, environmental perception by directly going to the field is very important ...to identify the problems n find the best possible solutions. By interacting with the field...

Fourthly, proper planning.problem solving, plan considering all minute aspects of design ... like cost effectivness. Resource access, needs n mental build up of people there ...etc.

Fifthly, once we r ready with the plan.we need funds in addition to engineers, transport facilities, labour force, etc to actually make it possible...this could be done by approaching n convincing big influencial people in governmental n non govt. organisation.s.

Sixthly, spreading awareness by promotion, education, n proper expression.... so that we can properly convince the local populations to accept this system ...n its application

This could be done with the help of common awareness methods like internet, television, comic books, poster s... news channel, targeting students ... etc....

AFTER 15 YEARS I see a huge green hill (which is green even in winters).... and a flood free Northeast India..., which doesn’t need to go 1 mile downstream to get water...!!

Pragya Singh : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Northeast Hills)