The water man.

Rainwater harvesting seems as obvious as putting a barrel in your back yard. In the more arid regions of India, however, it involves bigger projects than mere barrels, stretching to quite significant dams, underground tanks and reservoirs, often of great antiquity. That is why there is such interest in the revival of rainwater harvesting in Rajasthan, led by the charismatic Rajendra Singh, known as the water man. Mr Singh's organization, Tarun Bharat Sangh, based in a tiny remote village near Alwar, has attracted visits and support from the World Bank, the United Nations and USAID, America's development agency. Mr Singh is opposed to most of the Indian government's ideas for solving the country's water problems, including dams, the "very dangerous" project for interlinking of rivers, and privatization. It would be fanciful to suggest that rainwater harvesting can resolve all water problems. It is harder in big cities, and if too much is collected not enough water may reach rivers or replenish groundwater supplies. But it has a role to play. Perhaps above all, it offers a useful lesson in the benefits of treating water as a local issue, best dealt with by local communities.