This is with reference to the article by M Dinesh Kumar et al (EPW, 30 August 2008) and the discussion by K V Rao et al (EPW, 9 May 2009). The authors of the article and the discussants later have overemphasised harvesting of rainwater through smaller structures (hereinafter, water harvesting structures or WHSs) either for groundwater recharge or for critical irrigation (augmentation vs utilisation). (Letter)