USE of INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY for IRRIGATION in UTTARAKHAND HILLS in INDIA

Abstract

- Energy security, today, is of greatest concern for a sustainable future. For convenience, using newer technologies, we are accelerating the consumption of depleting resources viz. Oil, timber and fossil fuel. Nuclear and hydro power has inherent implications in maintaining ecological balance. Nature itself provides abundance of green renewable energy to meet all human requirements. Centuries old practices have been forgotten. This paper includes the latest solar and wind energy utilisation techniques. Augmentation of centuries old techniques for irrigation have also been explored. It is towards this end that the flexible modular concept is suggested for irrigation in remote hilly regions. People from Uttarakhand hills in India have abandoned cultivation all together and mostly migrated to plains in search of alternate livelihood. This is disturbing the demography of the entire region and further cascading the problem of overpopulation in cities. The village land is lying virtually abandoned. The locals are confining themselves to very small scale farming by tapping meagre available water. Lifting of water from low level for terrace cultivation by way of pumps etc is not economical. This paper aims to suggest a concept of utilising the natural energy sources like gravitational flow, barometric pressure, wind and solar energy. As complementary to this effort the farmers need to learn the importance of rain harvesting. For saving of water they need to resort to drip and capillary irrigation. This integration of old and new techniques for a sustainable solution is critically explored.