REPORTING RAINFALL IN INCHES AND TANK GAUGES IN FEET - VIOLATION OF LAW

 

When we read newspapers, we see the rainfall figures in inches and tank gauges in feet. This is against the law and a punishable act.

Our country has adopted metric system long back (On first October, 1958 with a grace period of 5 years) according to which rainfall and tank gauge figures should be in milimeters or centimeters or meters. Use of duel units or FPS (foot-pound system) units involving inches and feet was permissible for the grace period of five years, which has already passed long back.(1963)

As per para 4(1) & (2) of Chaper -1, Part -2 ofWeights and Measures Act 1958, (as amended in 1976) there is a provision of a fine up to Rs. 2000/- or/and  imprisonment upto six months for using non metric units. If this offence is repeated, the imprisonment may exeec to one year.

Such situation is in our area only because the Water Resources Department has not modified the gauges painted on the dams and rivers to metric system.

We should therefore request the Water Resources Department for modifying the gauges and the media should also make this an issue.

Jaisamand Lake- Not the second latgest lake of Asia

We often hear and read that Jaisamand Lake, District Udaipur, Rajasthan is the second largest man made (artificial) lake of Asia. Even our text books, general knowledge papers, news papers, tourist information booklets, etc. mention it accordingly. This is not true in the present context. The facts are as under-

Jaisamand lake was constructed during the regime of Maharaja Jai Singh of the then Mewar State. (1680–1698) and named after him. The original name of this lake was Debar Lake. The lake has been created by constructing a double face wall earthen dam across River Gomti.The work of this dam was started during his regime but was completed later as the year of completion reported in the National Register of large dams is 1730.

Now, let us see the technical details of a few dams of Rajasthan as per National Register of Large Dams* (2009) maintained by Central Water Commission, Government of India, which are as under -

Particulars	Unit	JAISAMAND	Rana Pratap Sagar	Mahi Bajaj Sagar	Bisalpur
ID no.		RA11HH0002	RA11HH0075	RA11HH0119	RA11HH0160
Yr of Comp		1730	1970	1985	1999
Nearest city		Udaipur	Kota	Banswara	Deoli
River		Gomti	Chambal	Mahi	Banas
Max.Ht.	meters	41.1	53.95	74.5	39.5
Length of Dam	meters	457	1143	3109	574
Gross Storage Capacity	1000 cubic meters	4,14,000	28,98,690	21,80,000	10,95,840
Reservoir Area	1000 Square meters	52,600	1,98,290	1,34,000	2,18,360
Effective Storage	1000 cubic meters	2,96,300	15,66,520	18,33,100	10,40,950

Note - one cubic meter = 1000 liters

Thus the claim, that JAISAMAND is second largest man made lake in Asia, does not hold good in present context, as leaving aside Asia or India, it is fourth largest in the State of Rajasthan. 

Now, we may say that it is a lake and others are dams or reservoirs so there is no comparision can be done and therefore Jaisamand is still the second largest lake of Asia.  For this, if we refer to Encyclopedia Britannica, ** the definition of a lake is as under -

lake - any relatively large body of slowly moving or standing water that occupies an inland basin of appreciable size. 

If we go to a dictionary***, the meaning is as under -

lake - a body of fresh or salt water of considerable size, surrounded by land.

There are many types and classifications of lakes - like fresh water or saline lakes, natural or man made lakes, surface or underground lakes, etc.

A man made lake is called a reservoir and a reservoir is created by constructing a dam across a stream or river.  

JAISAMAND is thus a fresh water, man made lake (as it is having a reservoir created by a dam across a river.) The remaining three reservoirs, namely Rana Pratap Sagar, Mahi Bajaj Sagar and Bisalpur are also of similar nature as they have a man made dam across a river creating a reservoir. 

To clarify the above statement, we my refer to "Lake Scientist" **** which deals a lake and a reservoir as follows -

Lakes vs. Reservoirs - Reservoirs, also called impoundments, are man-made lakes.

THUS A RESERVOIR CREATED BY CONSTRUCTING A DAM ACROSS A RIVER OR STREAM IS ALWAYS A LAKE, AND WE CAN NOT SAY THAT JAISAMAND ONLY IS A LAKE AND OTHERS ARE DAMS OR RESERVOIRS.

SO, WE SHOULD CORRECT OURSELVES AND STOP CLAIMING THAT JAISAMAND IS SECOND LARGEST LAKE OF ASIA.

References -
*         www.cwc.nic.in/.../National%20Register%20of%20Large%20Dams%...
**       www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/328083/lake

***    dictionary.reference.com/browse/lake

****   http://www.lakescientist.com/learn-about-lakes/how-lakes-differ/types-of-water-bodies.html