HAPPY INDIA 168 



is hardly any rain. It is, therefore, evident that these 

 hydro-electric works depend upon a great storage of 

 water. Therefore Messrs. Tata have made enormous 

 storage reservoirs. That it is possible to make these 

 reservoirs as a profitable outlay of capital is due to the 

 fact that they are on such high ground, so that the fall 

 as in the first completed installation from the outlet of 

 the reservoir to the power station is about 1,725 feet. 

 When the water has done its work at the power 

 generating station, it would then be available for 

 use for irrigating purposes during the dry season. 

 It is evident that these works made and projected 

 by Messrs. Tata are calculated to be of very great 

 benefit to the people of that part of India. 



It is to be hoped that before long the Government 

 will put in hand new great storage reservoirs (some 

 have already been made) for irrigation purposes on 

 the eastern side of the Western Ghats, and the water 

 from these storage reservoirs might be used also for 

 the purpose of generating power which would be 

 useful for many purposes on the eastern side. 



No doubt the time will come when on the Himalaya 

 Mountains great storage reservoirs will be made 

 for the purposes of generating power. So far as 

 these storage reservoirs have an effect upon the 

 flood waters of the rivers it will be a beneficial effect 

 as limiting the erosive force of the torrent. The 

 water used at the power station will either be turned 

 again into the rivers or conducted in separate canals 

 to places requiring irrigation in the dry season. 

 Storage reservoirs on a smaller scale will doubtless 



