Ways of irrigation in India

WAYS OF IRRIGATION IN OUR COUNTRY
Rain and rivers are the major sources of irrigation for our land. Since distribution of rainfall is uneven, various canals, dams, reservoirs, etc.,have been built on the rivers to facilitate better irrigation. Let us understand the various sources of irrigation in brief.
Canals
A canal is a channel of water drawn from a river. It is a man made river. We have a large number of canals all over India . These canals take the water of rivers to distant places for irrigation. Canals are a major source of irrigation in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

Dams

Dams are strong walls built across rivers. These are man made reservoir in which water is stored for various purposes. Water is allowed to fall from a height through dams to produce electricity. Water is supplied through canals for irrigation and through pipes for drinking, washing and cooking. Many big dams have been built across rivers in our country. Jawaharlal Nehru called these dams the 'new temples of modern India'. The Bhakra Nangal Dam over the river Satluj, the Gandhi Sagar Dam over the river Chambal, the Nagarjunasagar Dam over the river Krishna, the Hirakud Dam over the river Mahanadi, the Kosi Dam over the river Kosi and the Mettur Dam over the river Kaveri are some of the important dams in our country.

Wells and Tubewells

Since ancient times, wells have been used to avail water for domestic purposes and for irrigation. But in some parts of the country, the water level is very low. It is not easy to dig wells in such places. To draw water from great depths, we now dig tubewells. These tubewells are run by diesel engines or electrical motors.

Tanks

It is difficult to dig wells in hilly areas. In such places, big tanks are built. Rain water is stored in these tanks. This water is then used for irrigation and other purposes. Tanks are mostly used in Andhara Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Karnataka.

Water is the basis of the survival of life. We must not waste it or pollute it. Dirty or impure water can make us sick. So we must not throw any garbage into our rivers , streams or canals. We should not wash or clean things into these sources of water. We should keep our water clean.