Frederick Noronha

"THOSE 'IGNORANT PEASANTS' KNOW MORE ABOUT WATER THAN ENGINEERS"

Former business and environmental journalist Nitya Jacob has undertaken an unusual task -- an ecological travelogue across the Indian subcontinent, focussed on water. The Delhi-based writer's findings are stark. After writing a book on the subject, he says that in spite of surplus water, and one of the world's richest traditions of managing it, India's water crisis has reached critical levels. Says Delhi-based Jacob's new book is called 'Jalyatra: Exploring India's Traditional Water Management Systems'. It notes: "The 5000 years worth of traditional knowledge which made India one of the richest countries in the not-too-distant past has been forgotten and is one of the main reasons behind the crisis."Original Review on India Water Portal Blog, Click here Frederick Noronha (FN) interviewed Jacob about the book (Penguin, India, 2008, Rs 295), his findings and more.