Rain In SummerHow beautiful is the rain!After the dust and
heat,In the broad and fiery street,In the narrow lane,How beautiful
is the rain!How it clatters along the roofsLike the tramp of
hoofs!How it gushes and struggles outFrom the throat of the
overflowing spout!Across the window-paneIt pours and pours;And
swift and wide,With a muddy tide,Like a river down the gutter
roarsThe rain, the welcome rain!- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
(1807-1882).Advantages: Provides water for plants, especially for
farming - most farmers in 3rd world countries depend on the rain
Provides drinking water Recycles water from all over the world back
to the ground Washes away dust and dirt and cleans the air
Disadvantages: Causes erosion Causes flooding Can damage plants
and rocks if it is too acidic Keeps you inside when you want to
play outside :) Advantages 1. Low-cost Maintenance Once the system
is all up and running, you really dont need to invest much money in
keeping it running. If you intend only to use the collected water
for non-drinking purposes, you dont even need to purify the water.
2. Lower Water Bills Collecting your own water means spending less
on the water companies water. Water can be used to flush toilets,
wash clothes and dishes, and to water gardens. On a bigger scale,
rainwater harvesting can lead to major savings for households or
small businesses. 3. Great for Irrigation Rainwater is not
subjected to any chemicals found in ground water and therefore is
ideal for irrigation as well as for watering plants in the garden.
4. Reduces Ground Water Demand As our population increases, so does
the demand for water. In many areas, ground water is extracted to
keep up with demand and this has lead to low levels of ground water
being left over. 5. Reduces Soil Erosion and Floods By keeping
rainwater from reaching the ground, it is possible to prevent
flooding if carried out on a large-enough scale. Rainwater
harvesting also reduces soil erosion and keeps surface water from
being contaminated with pesticides and fertilizers from rainwater
run-off. 6. Multi-Purpose Rainwater can be used for all sorts of
things from flushing toilets, to washing clothes, cars, and dishes,
to keeping the garden freshly watered. Disadvantages 1. Unreliable
rainfall Isnt it just always the case that right when you need
something it suddenly isnt there? Rain is no different, and it cant
be relied upon to fall exactly when its needed. However, here in
the UK we shouldnt worry too much. You are unlikely to spend very
long periods of time without plenty of rainwater to use. 2.
Starting costs Installing a rainwater harvesting system can be
costly, with systems ranging from the low hundreds to the low
thousands in cost. Similarly to solar panels, costs can be
recovered in 10-15 years depending upon the rainfall and the
systems sophistication. 3. High-energy Maintenance Rainwater
harvesting tanks will take a lot of looking after, and even if this
doesnt cost much in terms of money it can become a chore. Systems
can be infiltrated by rodents, algae, and insects, and can become
breeding grounds for all sorts of creatures if not properly
maintained. 4. Chemical roof seepage Some kinds of roof coverings
will seep chemicals which will prove harmful to plant life if the
water is used to sustain it. 5. Storage limits You may find that
you cannot store all of the water you would like to, and this could
mean having to tailor your water usage to the capacity of the tank.
Its up to you! There is no right way of going about many things,
and often there are cons to the pros. Overall, rainwater harvesting
is beneficial to the environment and could be helpful to your bank
account. Just remember to consider both the advantages and
disadvantages of rainwater harvesting before you settle on a
decision.
Bardo Chham
is a folk dance of Sherdukpens, a small community of West Kameng
District of Arunachal Pradesh
Bihu Dance
Nongkrem Dance: MeghalaYAChang Lo dance or Sua Lua:Nagaland
TripuraHojagiri
Manipuri Classical dance
Mizoram
