Traditional Knowledge and Innovative Practices for Water Management and Conservation in Indian Cold Desert, Leh Ladakh

摘要

The Leh district of Ladakh region in Jammu and Kashmir state is located in the Trans-Himalayan ranges. This region has unique and rich ecological knowledge. The objective of the current study is to document the rich traditional methods for water conservation and management system in this district. The data was collected through extensive survey, interview, open-ended questionnaire, group discussion and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) methods. The indigenous technologies like complex irrigation canals systems and traditional water storage ponds {Zing) are in use for water storage and distribution. The traditional watermills (Rantak) are also in use for grinding barley, wheat and pea. Atotal of 57 canals and 50 storage ponds were recorded in the study area. Also, a total of 150 Rantaks, which were functional before ten years, now decreases to 72 functional Rantaks were recorded in the study area. There is very strong community bond among the villagers, all work together for maintaining the canalsand storage ponds. They have developed a ways of life and community institutions that facilitate them to minimize conflicts, optimize their use and maintain their water security. They are very spiritual and strongly believe in co-existence with the nature. Anthropogenic activities like construction without proper rituals consider pollution and believes it disturbs the earth bound numen called Lhu. The untimely melting of glacier and unseasonal snow in the region added much pressure on the scare water resource for irrigation. Introducing the novel innovation like artificial glacier, they are trying to minimize the water shortage mainly in the Spring season. To tackle the current situation of water shortage, there is need of strengthening and amalgamation of traditional knowledge with the new innovation to overcome the water scarcity and also to bring the large cutivable barren land of Ladakh under plantation.