The link between society and climate is unarguably substantial, historically as well as in our modern society. The extreme weather conditions caused by climate change result in dislocation of the population, cultural separation, habitation abandonment, and consequently societal collapse. Additional anthropogenic changes to the climate over the past two decades due to industrialisation result in an even higher rate of increase of extreme weather conditions. The summers get hotter and water scarcity increases. In order to avoid negative implications it is vital that culture and climate work together.

Alternative to ecologically damaging, socially intrusive and capital-intensive water management projects that fail to deliver their desired benefits, it would be useful investing in decentralized facilities, efficient technologies and policies, and human capital to improve overall productivity rather than to find new sources of water supply. Rainwater harvesting falls under this category.

In the case of the Thar desert (western…