Indians need to be water smart
Apropos the cover story k/DVW IHZ GURSVy 0DUFK
7KH ZULWHU KDV QLFHO\ covered the possible innovations to conserve water resources. Some of the available innovative resources like tapping fog and harvesting or dew catch are widely used abroad, though India's experience with them is limited. As mentioned in the story, collecting fog water with screens is widely practiced in the coastal deserts of Peru. Similarly, dew water is collected and used in Israel to irrigate citrus crops. India too has conducted several dew studies using over 200 dew gauges by the India Meteorological Department. This has generated a huge database, but its practical applicability is lacking. Scientists in Saurashtra and Kutch have made some
attempts to collect dew using laminated foils. They have collected about 100 litres between October 2017 and March 2018. These attempts alone will not be enough and we need to create awareness among citizens, administrators and politicians to save our water resources. K KAILASA NATHAN
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST, INDIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, NEW DELHI