Economics Behind Irrigation Projects in Madras Presidency : Special Reference to South Arcot District

ECONOMICS BEHIND IRRIGATION PROJECTS IN MADRAS PRESIDENCY : SPECIAL REFERENCE TO SOUTH ARCOT DISTRICT S.MANIVASAGAN, Ph.D Research Scholar (FT), Department of History, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar – 608002. Dr.J.MUTHUKUMAR, Research Supervisor, Assistant Professor, Department of History, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar 608002. ABSTRACT Post 1857 revolt witnessed a heavy inflow of British capital into the Indian economy. Much of it was invested in divergent kinds of public works such as irrigation, a considerable portion being spent on railway construction by priate joint stock companies under guarantee system. The modernization of the irrigation systems was rather neglected but still the Indian economy was primarily agricultural. Though the private investments made into the Railways were of western interest that served the distribution of production and did not come for the rescue of increase of production. The earlier attempts by the Government agencies on the Cauvery, Godavari and Jumna works were encouraging. The data provided by the Imperial Gazetteer of India states that Pennar River Canals, Cauvery Delta System, Srivaikuntam Anicut yielded a net income of 5%, 28.5% and 6.1% respectively. The Colonial masters in a bid to increase the income of the state exchequer stated liberally investing in the irrigation project there by increasing the production of the State. The paper envisages to trace the various irrigation projects carried out by the colonial administration in South Arcot District and its impact on the production, irrigated area and revenue generated by the state. Keywords: Irrigation, Cultivation, Dams, Canals, Sluices. Introduction: The beginning of the modern irrigation works in the Madras Presidency could be traced to the first half of the nintenth century. The major irrigation project executed by the colonial rule was the reconstruction and modernization of the Cauvery Delta which was South Arcot District which was once a part of the Pallava and Chola 1500 years. The modernization project carried out in 1835-36 by Sir Arthur Cotton was a great success, South Arcot district was benefitted by the scheme to a greater extent. South Arcot District which was once a part of the Pallava and Chola Kingdom has a rich heritage in it. The Colonial masters established Fort St.David at Cuddalore in 1746 which served as the temporary capital of Madras Presidency for a little while. The economy of the district was largely agricultural and there was also brisk trade activity through Cuddalore and Port Nova port. SOURCES OF IRRIGATION IN SOUTH ARCOT DISTRICT The chief sources of irrigation in South Arcot District are the few rivers and large number of jungle streams that branch off from them. The principal rivers that serve the region are the Coleroon, the Ponnaiyar, the Vellar, Gadilam and the Manimukhtanadi 1. Except Ponnaiyar other rivers are non-perennial. TRSV STVWXVYSZU 48 Even during the last quarter of the 19 th century the significant role that irrigation has to play in the region was recognised and as a result, a number of irrigation projects were taken up for execution. The importance of irrigation from rivers has considerably been increased after the execution of various projects. The rivers in the district are almost utilised to the maximum for purpose of irrigation 2. Irrigation under the Cholas We could trace the history of irrigation in Tamil Nadu from the period of Silappadikaram, the great Tamil Epic. It is said that a Chola king, named Kanthaman, seeing his country suffer from drought took steps to bring the Cauvery water to his country. He was probably one of the earliest to have realised the importance of irrigating, the lands with the river water 3. During the time of King Paranthaka-I (907-953 A..D) a big tank was created and it was named as “Veeranarayana Eri” and this was later called as “Veeranam Eri”. This Eri was named after the title of King Paranthaka-I, this was the first major irrigational work in this region. This tank lies near KattumannarKoil where in King Paranthaka-I has constructed the temple for Lord Vishnu 4. The two inscriptions dated 1369 A.D found in the Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple clearly explains the nature and the pre requisites for creating a tank. Further these inscriptions also narrate about the mistakes that have to be avoided while creating a tank. Thus we come about to understand the importance given by the Chola Dynasty to the irrigation system and their knowledge on hydrology 5. Maintenance of Irrigation Works The maintenance and repairs of irrigation works are as important as their construction. The tanks channels, sluices and dams which were not built of brick, stone and mortar, required great care in periodical cleaning to maintain them in good condition. There was danger of the openings getting choked and consequential damage to the work itself. These works had to be repaired after excessive rainfall which damaged the embankments. Maintenance of such beneficial works was considered a meritorious act. Boats were used to remove the silt from dams. Removal of silt in a tank was made from endowments given specifically for the purposes. For the repair of breaches in tank-bunds and other accidental damages beyond the control of the villagers, money was often obtained from private or state donation. A part of the income from dams and canals also was used for their maintenance 6. The custom of “Kudimaramat” was in existence in South India. According to the Madras Manual of Administration, the term denotes “Contribution of labour for petty repairs to irrigation works”. There were different organizations like that of Panchavariyam, EriVariyam, ThottaVariyam, KazhaniVariyam and Ponvariyam for temples and charities. EriVariyam was to look after the tanks and their maintenance 7. After taking over administration of’ the Madras Presidency, the East India Company became concerned about the dwindling returns in the land revenue and attempted to take a few corrective steps to re-establish the satisfactory irrigation condition in order to improve the companies cash resource base 8. The Maramath Department The Maramath Department was practically incharge of the great majority of public works of all kinds and was thus a very important department of the government in the early British period. The English collectors assumed the charge of works of irrigation along with that of collection of Revenue. As the maintenance of the work in good condition was essential to the security of revenue, large sums were spend on that account. Engineering officers were appointed after wards under the title of “Superintendents of Tank Repairs” to aid the collectors 9. In the year TRSV STVWXVYSZU 49 1819 the territories of the East India Company in the Madras Presidency were divided into three divisions each under a charge of a Civil Engineer with a suitable establishment and the whole was placed under the control of an English officer at the Presidency level, called the Inspector General of Civil Estimates 10 . In 1836 the post of Inspector General of Civil Estimates was redesignated as Public Works Chief Engineer. In the same year the whole Presidency was rearranged into 8 Maramath divisions each under a civil Engineer working under the Public Works Chief Engineer 11. The South Arcot District had in it a plenty of irrigation systems to catter to the needs of the agricultural community. The irrigation works in the district are broadly classified into minor and major. Minor works include small tanks, wells and small canals. The Irrigation System in the South Arcot District could branched as a) Anicut b) Tanks and c) Vaikals. The Sethiyathope Anicut The Sethiyathope anicut on the Vellar was constructed in 1847-1848 close to the end of Veeranam tank. It is 530 feet long and carries the bridge on the Trunk Road from Panruti to the Lower anicut. Part of the anicut was built of sandstone and part built of local laterite. It supplies one channel on the left (north) known as the RajanVaikkal or the Vellar Rajan channel which has several branches. It irrigates directly 18,970 acres by means of four distributaries known as the Ariyagoshty, Manampattnan, Odaiyar and Norattur channels and it also feeds the wallajah tank. The surplus water of this tank is let in through a sluice into the Perumal tank. It irrigates lands to south of the vellar, to extent of 13,978 acres. The Sethiyathope anicut system is an exceptionally remunerative work. Its capital cost, for instance, up to 1931 was about Rs.10.78 lakhs, while its revenue for 1930-31 was about Rs.1.3 lakhs. Tiruvendipuram Anicut There are four anicuts across the Gadilam, namely, the Dama, the Tiruvadi, theVanamadevi and the Tiruvendipuram anicuts. The Dama anicut is not so important. The Tiruvadi anicut, 13 miles from Cuddalore was built in 1847-1848 to replace an earthen dam.Originally 443 feet long, it has since been improved and is now 523 feet long. It supplies a channel on the north bank of the river. The Vanamadevi anicut, 9 miles from Cuddalore was built in 1862-1863. Originally 421 feet long, it has also since been improved and is now 506 feet 3 inches in length. It supplies a channel on the south tank. The Tiruvendipuram anicut, 4 miles from Cuddalore lies at the end of a most picturesque reach of the Gadilam, where the river winds under the Mount capper plateau and flows beneath the walls of the well-known temple of Tiruvendipuram. It was built in 1835-1836. It is 436 feet long and it supplies on the south one channel which irrigates very rich lands round about Cuddalore. It also fills the tank at the foot of Mount Capper. The channels from these anicuts irrigate about 8,500 acres in the Cuddalore taluk.

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