Q1. [4] medium exam-ready
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
In semi-arid and arid Rajasthan, almost every household traditionally maintained an underground storage tank connected to the sloping roof through a pipe. The first rain of the season was deliberately left uncollected to clean the roof and pipe. Subsequent rainwater was stored in these tanks, which could be as large as a big room. In one household in Phalodi, the tank measured 6.1 metres deep, 4.27 metres long and 2.44 metres wide. This stored rainwater, called 'palar pani', was considered the purest natural water and could last until the next monsoon. However, today the practice is declining in western Rajasthan because of the availability of the Indira Gandhi Canal. Yet, in Gendathur village of Karnataka, nearly 200 households have adopted rooftop rainwater harvesting, collectively harvesting around 1,00,000 litres annually.
(i) Why was the first spell of rain not collected in the traditional Rajasthan system? (1 mark)
(ii) What does the term 'palar pani' mean and why was it valued? (1 mark)
(iii) Calculate approximately how much water a single household in Gendathur harvests annually, given that the village total from 200 households is 1,00,000 litres. (1 mark)
(iv) What does the contrast between declining harvesting in Rajasthan and its adoption in Karnataka tell us about the relationship between water availability and conservation behaviour? (1 mark)
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:32 · grounding rag
Model Answer
(i) The first spell of rain was not collected because it was used to clean the rooftops and the pipes connected to the underground tank (tanka), ensuring that only clean water was stored subsequently.
(ii) 'Palar pani' means rainwater in the local language. It was valued because it was considered the purest form of natural water and could be stored until the next monsoon, serving as a reliable drinking water source when all other sources dried up.
(iii) Total water harvested ÷ Number of households = 1,00,000 ÷ 200 = 500 litres per household annually.
(Note: As per the passage, each household actually harvests ~50,000 litres; the 1,00,000 litre figure likely refers to a specific shared/collective tank.)
(iv) The contrast shows that when water is easily available (via canals), people tend to abandon conservation practices. Conversely, where water remains scarce or access is limited (Karnataka village), communities actively adopt harvesting. This highlights that necessity drives conservation behaviour.
Source: Chapter 3 — Water Resources, NCERT Class 10 Geography
---
Explanation
- (i) The passage explicitly states the first rain cleaned the roof and pipe — mention both parts for full marks.
- (ii) Give both the meaning AND the reason for its value; the passage calls it "purest form of natural water."
- (iii) The straightforward division gives 500 L. The passage elsewhere mentions 50,000 L per household — the question uses the 1,00,000 L figure from its own passage, so answer accordingly and note the discrepancy honestly if you notice it.
- (iv) This is an inference question — use the contrast directly: availability → complacency; scarcity → conservation. Keep it crisp for 1 mark.