Conflict in the Bhavani Areas

1,700 mm3 of normal water supply in the LBP dam the actual realisation declined to 1,275 mm3 in 2001, 793 mm3 in 2002 and 368 mm3 in 2003. There was already a conflict of interest between farmers in the valley, the original settlers and the new command farmers of LBP. Old command farmers are entitled to 11 months water supply which they used for growing two or three paddy crops and annual crops like sugar cane, banana, etc, whereas the new ayacut farmers were only able to grow a single paddy or dry crop in a year. As long as water supply in the dam was adequate the conflict too was subdued. But supply was at an all time low in 2002 and water was not released to the new command area. This has prompted the new ayacutdars to file a case against the state in the high court seeking water supply for at least one crop. Their contention is that water should be provided for the second crop in the old settlement only after meeting the require- ments of the first crop in the new command as per the Government Order (number EQUITY, ACCESS AND ALLOCATION 2,274)issued as early as August 30, 1963. The court asked the Water Resources Organisation to arrive at a compromise formula for water sharing between the two Conflict in the Bhavani areas. The department prepared a plan on the basis of size of command area – 60 per An increase in population, unplanned expansion in the command cent of the available water was to be given area of the river Bhavani in Tamil Nadu and the growing domestic to the new ayacut (for irrigation of 80,000 ha) and 40 per cent to the old ayacut (about and industrial demand for water have intensified competition 20,000 ha). However, the old settlers among water users in the river basin. objected on the grounds that they are entitled to 11 months of interrupted water A RAJAGOPAL, N JAYAKUMAR are used to divert water into different canal supply as per their riparian rights. The systems. These are old systems that have impasse prompted local central ministers havani is an important tributary of been in existence for several centuries. The to bring the two sides to the negotiating the Kaveri in its mid-reaches in upper part of the basin is not well deve- table but this attempt to seek a solution also BTamil Nadu. It originates in the loped and mostly depends upon wells and failed. The court in its interim order has Silent Valley forest in Kerala and flows rain-fed agriculture. now told the state to take prior permission in a south-easterly direction for 217 km from the court to open the system every till it joins the Kaveri at a town named Parched Land, Thirsty People season. Under the original regulation the Bhavani. The total area of the Kaveri basin canal was opened on April 18 for the old in the state is about 43,000 km2 of which The river plays an important role in the settlement and August 15 for the new ayacut. the Bhavani sub-basin constitutes roughly economy of Coimbatore and Erode dis- The expansion of irrigation and hence 5,400 km2. The Kaveri basin which drains tricts by providing water for drinking, agri- demand has mostly taken place in upstream Karnataka, Pondicherry, Kerala and Tamil culture and industry. Due to an increase areas (and to some extent in old ayacut too) Nadu comprises about 82,000 km2 of which in population, unplanned expansion in the through unauthorised tapping of river water the Bhavani river basin is 6,000 km2. A command area, as well as the growing by direct pumping. Apart from direct pump- major portion (87 per cent) of this area is domestic and industrial water demand, the ing the other major issue is the unregulated situated in Tamil Nadu. basin is already “closing” and stressed. As exploitation of groundwater in the catch- The Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) is a a result there is intense competition among ments, which the state is unable to control; major multi-purpose reservoir, mainly water users and a sizeable gap exists this practice is actually encouraged by constructed for water storage and distri- between demand and supply in agriculture liberal institutional financing. Supply of bution to canal systems in the basin. The and domestic sectors. free electricity by the state has also con- reservoir is also used for hydel power Water shortage downstream is even tributed to the growth of this problem. generation and fishing. Apart from this, worse due to a prolonged drought that Downstream farmers did take the issue to anicuts like Kodiveri and Kalingarayan has lasted several years. Out of about court and even won a favourable judgment Economic and Political Weekly February 18, 2006 581 Figure: Bhavani Basin with Major Irrigation Canals River Irrigation Canal City/Village but the ineffective bureaucracy has been association has also taken the old settlers unable to implement the court’s orders. to court with help from the minister. While the case is now pending in court, Highs and Lows the water situation remains grim and the domestic water consumers – especially the Water conflicts played a major role in middle class – have resorted to purchasing the 14th general elections held in 2004. water for drinking purposes. Farmers There was a flurry of negotiations bet- affected by pollution have sought legal ween politicians and farmers’ associations remedies and have succeeded in getting in the basin. some of the polluting textile and chemical The water-sharing problem between units shut down. These are the spontaneous the old and new settlers had been com- actions of different stakeholders, with each pounded by growing demand from group working in isolation to resolve the industry and the domestic sector. The issue. Unfortunately it seems that farmers drought in 2004 had added to the situation have more faith in the legal system than Gyan Ads and there was a severe shortage of water in other efforts. in the dam. As election time approached, The basin water management situation the ruling party ministers sought to build is precarious due to uncoordinated ac- up their vote banks by trying to get the tion and counteraction by various farmers to compromise; the effort failed stakeholders. The situation is likely to and in the meanwhile, the drought wors- get critical in future as the demand from ened and a new dimension was added to the non-agricultural sector continues to the dispute. The water shortage in the region grow rapidly. Under these circumstances, forced the farmers in the Kaveri delta to there is a need for an integrated approach clamour for water. This group constitutes and a mechanism for coordinated deve- a sizeable electorate and since it was lopment of water resources in the basin potentially more beneficial for the ruling with the participation of all those con- party to get their support, water from the cerned, especially the state. This could be dam was released to the Kaveri delta, totally undertaken by an external agency who against the norms set for operating the needs to get all parties – farmers, indus- reservoir. This angered the Bhavani basin trialists, domestic users and the state – farmers who chose to nominate an inde- together and establish a forum where pendent candidate. They named him, solutions are sought through dialogue. “Water Candidate” and this was a first in the electoral history of India. However this Stakeholders’ Dialogue Meeting attempt too failed due to ideological dif- ferences among various agrarian groups A stakeholders’ meeting was held and finally it was a candidate from the on February 21, 2005, to get ideas and main opposition party in the state who won feedback from farmers, NGOs, govern- the farmers’ vote. ment departments, industrialists, social This has helped the new command farm- activists and academicians. All of them ers to take up water issues with the irri- have agreed to discuss these issues further gation bureaucracy and receive more water and negotiate their way out of the tough from the reservoir easily as the politician situation. EPW went on to become a minister in the central government. The new command farmers Email: [email protected] 582 Economic and Political Weekly February 18, 2006.

Load more