© JHE 2020 J Hum Ecol, 70(1-3): 51-57 (2020) PRINT: ISSN 0970-9274 ONLINE: ISSN 2456-6608 DOI: 10.31901/24566608.2020/70.1-3.3184 Impact of Banasura Sagar Dam on the Wayanad Kadar Tribes of Kerala T. V. Shruthi Department of Anthropology, Kannur University, Thalassery Campus, Kannur, Kerala, India E-mail: [email protected] KEYWORDS Agricultural Land. Compensation. Development Projects. Livelihood. Occupation. Tribal Displacement ABSTRACT The present paper attempts to understand the impact of Banasura Sagar Dam on the Wayanad Kadars, one of the Scheduled Tribes of Kerala, who were evicted from their original habitat when the dam was constructed in Wayanad District. Earlier, the Wayanad Kadars were entirely depending on agriculture for their livelihood and maintained a sustainable livelihood. But they were displaced from their original habitat and scattered to mostly barren lands in the forest areas with the implementation of the India’s second largest earthen dam project. Their traditional habitat submerged inside the reservoir, which has resulted in the rehabilitation of the Wayanad Kadars in different areas in Wayanad District. In the post displacement phase, the community was facing huge challenges of livelihood transition as they neither integrated nor assimilated into the new habitats and the problems related to the tribal displacement was continuing endlessly. The present study is an attempt to understand the ground realities of the impact of displacement on the livelihood and socio-economic life of the Wayanad Kadars of Kerala. INTRODUCTION The displaced tribal people are facing vari- ous stresses like social, cultural, economic and Tribal displacement and resettlement are the psychological due to the breakdown of their tra- worst experiences faced by the tribal societies ditional livelihood and lifestyle. People are forced as it interferes with their way of life and with the to leave their traditional abode and their means problems of adaptation. The centuries old cus- of subsistence due to the compulsory acquisi- toms, practices and environmental adaptations tion of land for the construction of dams, indus- mould the survival strategy of the tribes, which tries, roads, National Parks, etc. Development are suddenly subjected to change when they proves that it is beneficial to a section of popu- are rehabilitated to an entirely different environ- lation but it is at the cost of livelihood of other ment. Adoba et al. (2019) have reviewed the risks sections of the society. faced by the communities of developing coun- Most of the development projects are locat- tries like China, India, Zambia and Ghana due to ed in forest areas, which are occupied by indig- the development induced displacement, which enous communities and hence the tribes are the has pointed out that a large number of people most affected group of people. The people dis- have become homeless, landless, jobless and placed for developmental projects are deprived also lost their socio-economic conditions. Ku- of their traditional livelihood without any alter- mar and Mishra (2018) have pointed out the prob- natives. The worst sufferers of developmental lems related to the development induced dis- projects are the tribal communities because most placement from the indigenous perspective. Af- of the development projects such as dams and ter the tribal displacement and with the chang- industries are located in tribal areas. The tribes, ing habitat, the tribal communities are being ex- the original inhabitants were pushed into the posed to new socio-cultural context, which de- uninhabitable area by various invaders and also mands new skills and that is altogether different due to various development projects. from what they possessed. The immediate and The displacement destroys not only the elongated reactions to these developments re- physical environment but also socio-cultural, sulted in a new strategy of survival. Hence, the political and economic network. All the devel- displacement and resettlement have to be as- opment programmes tend to replace the existing sessed on the backdrop of new occupational set of relations. In the words of Sarma (2017), attainments. “most of the development projects in India, in 52 T.V. SHRUTHI the name of National development, have been 2,800 hectares (net) in Wayanad District. As a established in remote areas and tribal areas where part of the establishment of the dam, the Waya- plenty of land is there for acquisition. The entire nad Kadars were relocated and settled even to process is uprooting people from their sources the forest areas, which ultimately resulted in the of livelihood and proper resettlement and reha- end of cultivation in their paddy fields. The dam bilitation of these people are not happening in project has virtually taken away their livelihood most of the states. As most of them are part of as well as their cultivable land, which is filled an informal economy, it becomes difficult for with water of the dam. In this context, the study them to adjust to a formal economy or urban set intends to examine the impact of the develop- up and livelihood. This has led to impoverish- ment programmes on the Wayanad Kadars. The ment of the marginalized people in many fronts.” development through dams and its interconnec- The Scheduled Tribes in India are character- tion with displacement of the tribal communities ised by economic and social marginalisation. are attaining significance in recent decades. Economy is one of the major subsystems of any The Wayanad Kadars are one of the Sched- social system. Livelihood comprises the activi- uled Tribes of Kerala, and they are facing the ties required for acquiring means of living, the after effects of displacement from their original capacities and assets including both material and habitat at the time of the construction of the social resources. According to Long (2000), “live- Banasura Sagar Dam. At present, the displace- lihood best expresses the idea of individuals and ment has resulted in the disintegration and im- groups striving to make a living, attempting to poverishment among the Wayanad Kadars. This meet their various consumption and economic is also resulted in their resettlement at different necessities, coping with uncertainties, respond- areas and as a part of the resettlement policy ing to new opportunities, and choosing between decisions of the Government. In the post dis- different value positions.” Livelihood is more placement phase, the community has faced crit- than just a matter of finding food, shelter and ical challenges of livelihood transition as they clothing, it means that the processes by which either have to integrate or assimilate in the new the people attain the needs of life, which may habitat wherein they face a lot of problems. In vary from society to society. Hogger (2004) has this context, some important literatures related rightly stated that, “understanding the livelihood to the present research topic are reviewed to systems of the poor is crucial to effective pover- identify the trend of such studies. ty reduction. Livelihood of the poor can never Mahendrakumar (2005) has published an ar- be understand in any track logic be it economic, ticle on the Kadars of Central Kerala. This study social, technical, cultural or political. The liveli- gives an analysis on eco-cultural adaptations hood systems are made of very diverse elements and socio-economic changes among the Kadars which taken together constitute the physical, eco- of Central Kerala. It analyses the problems faced nomic, social and cultural wherein families live.” by the Kadars during the transitional stage of The Wayanad Kadars were displaced from their subsistence activity. Baviskar (1995) has their original habitat due to the construction of made an account of the Narmada valley project the Banasura Sagar Dam in 1979 in Wayanad and he says that the wealth of the earth is being District of Kerala. The dam construction result- appropriated by the elites leading to the impov- ed in the total destruction of their economy due erishment of vast human masses who largely to the submergence of their cultivable lands in- depend on natural resources. This study con- side the dam. The Banasura Sagar Dam was con- cludes that the claim of development becomes structed as a part of an irrigation project in Way- meaningless for such deprived tribes who have anad District. This is the second largest Earthen lost their identity. Behera (2011) studied about Dam in Asia and the largest Earthen Dam in In- the displacement due to the construction of a dia. This dam is built across Karamanthode, a medium irrigation project of Western Orissa. The tributary of Panamaram River in Wayanad Dis- study provides a brief account of the pre and trict. According to the Kerala State Planning post economic conditions of the displaced peo- Board, the ultimate benefit of the dam and canal ple. Dungdung (2013) studied the agony of 57 system is to irrigate 4740 hectares (gross) and families who were displaced in 1983 during the J Hum Ecol, 70(1-3): 51-57 (2020) IMPACT OF BANASURA SAGAR DAM ON THE WAYANAD 53 construction of Malay Dam, situated at Satbar- ing forest dweller, which is derived from the word wa Block of Palamau District in Jharkhand, which “Kadu”, meaning forest. The Wayanad Kadars discloses the struggling of the families for the are known as Kadar among themselves. The survival after being betrayed in the name of com- prefix Wayanad is used to differentiate this group pensation, rehabilitation and development. Rao from the Kadars of Thrissur District of Kerala. (2017) has made a study on tribal land question The number of Kadar families in Wayanad dis- in Andhra Pradesh and it focussed on the sched- trict is 174, with a total population of 673 and it uled areas in the East Godavari District. This consists of 348 males and 325 females.