6.1  WATER: ( In olden times)

1.  Look at the around your school. Are there any fields, farms, pucca roads, drains etc. Is the area sloping, rocky or flat. Think, what will happen here when its rains. Where will the rain water go into the drains, pipes or pits. Is some water also getting soaked into the soil.
Ans:
There are pucca roads and drains in the area around my school. This area is little sloping. When it rains here, water flows into the drains. Also, some water accumulates in the small pits on the roadsides. Some water also gets soaked into the soil.

2.  How do you think the rainwater that falls on the roof will reach the underground tank. Draw the path.
Ans:
A pipe is used to connect the roof and the tank so that the water collected on roof can flow down to the undergrounds tank through that pipe. The path of water flowing from the roof top to the undergrounds tank is traced with blue colour in the following picture.

3.  Have you ever faced a shortage of water in your area. If yes, then what was the reason for it.
Ans:
Yes, we often  face the shortage of water during summers. This happens due to the excessive use of water and its increasing demand by the fast growing population.

4.  Talk to your grandmother or any elderly person. Find out, when they were of your age.
i) From where did they get water for the house. Has there been a change now.
Ans: They used to get water from the near by rivers, ponds, wells or hand pumps. Yes, there has been a change now. We get water through pipelines direct into our homes.

ii) What kind of water arrangements were made for travellers for example piau, mashak, (leather bag) or any other. Now what do people do about water when they travel.
Ans: In the earlier times, the king of the leaders used to build piau for travellers form. Where they could drink water. People also used to carry Mashak which was leather bag used to store water. Nowadays, people usually purchase packed drinking water or carry their own water bottles.

5.  Is there a lake, well or step well near your house or school. Visit it and find out more about it.
Ans:
Yes, there is an old well near my house.
i) How old is it. Who got it built.
Ans: It is said to be about 70 – 80 years old. It was built by the local people.

ii) What kind of buildings are around it.
Ans: There are some houses.

iii) Is the water clean. Is it cleaned regularly.
Ans: No, the water is not clean. It is not even cleaned regularly.

iv) Who all uses that water.
Ans: No one uses that water now.

v) Is there any festival celebrated at this place.
Ans: Not exactly festivals but people perform some rituals around it during marriages, Diwali etc.

vi) Is there any water today, or is it dry.
Ans: There is very little water left in the well now.

6.  There are two old wells in the area where Punita lives. Her grandmother says that about fifteen twenty years ago there was water in these wells. The wells could have dried up because :
i) Water is being pumped up from under the ground, with the help of electric motors.
ii) The lakes in which rain water used to collect are no longer there.
iii) The soil around trees and parks is now covered with cement.
iv) Is there some other reason for this. Explain.
Ans: Besides all of the reasons given above, large scale cutting of trees and poor management of water resources have also contributed to the poor state of water availability in the wells and ponds.

6.2. HOW DO PEOPLE MANAGE WATER TODAY:

7.  Let us see the different ways in which people manage water today see page 57 and discuss. Do you get water in your house by any of these ways. Put (√) on that. If you get some other way, write in your note book.

Ans: We get water from the Jal Board. We have connected a motor with the supply line. This helps us in storing water in the rooftop tank. The slum area near my house gets water from a Jal Board tanker which comes in a day. In my grandfather’s village there are some hand pumps which draw underground water. I have seen some ladies in the village bringing the water from the near by canal.

8.  Everyone has the right to live. Yet, is everybody getting enough water to live or even water to drink. Why is it that some people have to buy drinking water. Should it be like this. Water on this earth is for one and all. Some people draw out water from the ground by deep bore wells. How far is it correct. Have you ever seen this. Why do some people put a pump directly in the Jal Board pipe line. What problems would other people face due to this. Do you have such experience.
Ans:
i) Not every body is getting enough of water to live or even drink.
ii) Some people have to buy drinking water as they do not get sufficient water supply due to the lack of drinking water is their area. Things should not be like this.
iii) Some people draw water from the ground by deep boring. It is a wrong practice.
iv) Yes, I have seen many people doing this is my colony.
v) Some people put a pump directly in the Jal Board pipe line to get supply of drinking water.
vi) Due to this, other people do not get adequate supply of drinking water .

6.3 BILLS and BILLS;

9.  Look at the bill and answer:

i) From which office this bill has come.
Ans: The bill has come from Delhi Jal Board.

ii) Do you get water bill at home. Find out from where it is sent.
Ans: Yes, we get a water bill at home, The bill is sent by a water department of our city.

iii) Why do you think Dilli Sarkar (Government of Delhi) is written under Delhi Jal board.
Ans: Dili sarkar (Government of Delhi) is written under the Delhi Jal board as it run under the authorization of the Government of Delhi.

iv) In whose name is the bill. How much money money did they have to pay for each month.
Ans:  The bill is in the name of Mohd. Umar and Dr. Mohd Shoaib. They have to pay a total amount of three hundred sixty eight rupees.

v) Do you have to pay for water. How much. Is the rate of water different colonies. Ask your elders.
Ans: Yes, we have to pay for water. We pay about Rs 200 per month. The rate of same in different colonies.

10.  Have you ever read this kind of news in any newspaper. How did people solve their problem of water. Did they repair and reuse any old lake or stepwell.
Ans:
Yes, I have read this kind of news once, in a newspaper. It was about a village in Madhya Pradesh. All the people came together and made collective efforts to make provision for collecting rainwater in ponds and also repaired the old ponds and wells to make them usable again. They also planted a number of trees around the village. This helped them to fulfill their water requirement.

11.  Make a poster : Do you remember the slogan “water on earth is for one and all’ think of some other such slogans. Draw picture and make a nice poster.
Ans :

12.  Bring a water bill, look at it and answer:

i) The bill is from 09.2009 date to 05.11.2009 date.

ii) How much money is paid to this bill.
Ans: An amount of Rs 250 to be paid for this bill.

iii) What else can you see in the bill, like the money spent on repair, maintenance etc.
Ans: Yes, Rs 45 have been charged for repairing, which is included in the bill.

Think and find out :

1.  What is Ghadsisar.
Ans:
Ghadsisar is a group of nine lakes built by king Ghadi of Jaisalmer about 650 years ago.

2.  What was Al – Birani. How are writing helpful to us.
Ans:
Al – Birani was traveller from more than 1000 years ago. His writing are helpful to us in  knowing about the water conservation technique in ancient times.

3.  Write two ways of water storage in olden days.
Ans:
The two ways of water storage in olden days are :
i) Making lakes                ii) Step well.

4.  What is step well.
Ans:
Step wells are wells or ponds in which the water is reached by descending a set of steps to the water level.

5.  How did your grandmother used to get water for the house.
Ans:
My grandmother used to get water from a near by well for the house.

6.  From where do you get water for the house.
Ans:
We get water from Muncipal water supply tap in our house.

7.  What do people do when they travel .
Ans:
People carry water bottle or buy packed drinking water.

8.  Some people put a pump directly in the Jal Board pipeline. What problem would other people face due to this.
Ans:
Other people do not get enough water due to this.

9.   Match the Columns :

Column A Column B
1. Water stored in olden days.  a) Used for travelling
2. Rain water harvesting   b) Bavadi (baoli)
3. Rain water goes to   c) Water conservation
4. Step wells are called as   d) Lakes and step wells.
5. Packaged drinking water is   e) Drains, Pipe, Soil.

Answers :
1. Lakes and step wells                   2. Water conservation                 3. Drains, Pipe, Soil
4. Bavadi (baoli)                              5. Used for travelling.