"By 2010, we aim at providing drinking water to children in 1,000 schools by promoting rainwater harvesting," Jolly said.

Just how effective rainwater harvesting is can be gauged from the fact that the groundwater level has not receded in the two years since the system was put in place in the premises of the Kaladera high school that has over 700 students.

"The system has done wonders by effectively harvesting rainwater. It has stopped the groundwater level from going down," school principal N.K. Arya said.