Concept:
Across India, communities have developed indigenous rainwater harvesting and storage systems adapted to regional rainfall patterns, topography, and soil conditions to provide water security during dry seasons. Step 1: Regional Mapping of Traditional Water Structures:
1. A. Nadis (Rajasthan): Nadis are traditional village water harvesting ponds constructed in the arid Thar Desert of Rajasthan. Built in natural depressions, they capture surface runoff from surrounding catchments to supply water for rural communities and livestock. Hence, A corresponds to II.
2. B. Bandharas (Maharashtra): Bandharas are traditional check weirs or diversion bunds built across small streams and rivers in Maharashtra. They raise water levels to divert river flow through connected irrigation networks called the phad system. Hence, B corresponds to III.
3. C. Ponds (Jammu and Kashmir): Traditional earthen village ponds and runoff storage tanks have long been constructed in the sub-Himalayan Kandi belt of Jammu and Kashmir to collect seasonal surface runoff for household use and livestock. Hence, C corresponds to I.
4. D. Eris (Tamil Nadu): Eris are ancient tank cascade systems widely used across Tamil Nadu. They capture surface runoff, recharge local aquifers, prevent soil erosion, and historically irrigated roughly one-third of the state's cropped acreage. Hence, D corresponds to IV. Step 2: Alignment of Matched Pairs:
Combining these mappings:
A matches II.
B matches III.
C matches I.
D matches IV.
The resulting sequence is A - II, B - III, C - I, D - IV. Final Answer:
The correct matching corresponds to option (B).
