“Bhakra Nangal Project is something tremendous, something stupendous, something which shakes you up when you see it. Bhakra, the new temple of resurgent India, is the symbol of India's progress.” Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, during the dedication of the Bhakra dam to the nation. 22 October 1963 “The time has come”, the Walrus said, “To talk of many things:… The Walrus and the Carpenter, Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There This page is intentionally blank. UNRAVELLING B H A K R A ASSESSING THE TEMPLE OF RESURGENT INDIA Report of a Study by Manthan Adhyayan Kendra Badwani (M.P.) Study Team Shripad Dharmadhikary Swathi Sheshadri Rehmat Unravelling Bhakra: Assessing the Temple of Resurgent India Report of a Study of the Bhakra Nangal Project Published By: Manthan Adhyayan Kendra, Dashera Maidan Road, Badwani (M.P.) 451 551 Ph: 07290-222 857 Email: [email protected] Study Team: Shripad Dharmadhikary Swathi Sheshadri Rehmat Layout & Maps: Rehmat Photographs: BBMB, Government of Rajasthan, Rehmat, Mukesh Jat, Alok Agrawal, Shripad Dharmadhikary and several others. Production Support: Eklavya, Bhopal April 2005: 1000 Copies Suggested Contribution: Individuals: Rs. 150.00 Institutions: Rs. 300.00 Printed at Adarsh Printers and Publishers, Bhopal, INDIA Phone: 2555442 UNRAVELLING BHAKRA Assessing the Temple of Resurgent India TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface Evaluating a Legend vii Overview A Journey into the Realm of Bhakra xv Chapter 1 The Indus Basin, Irrigation Development and Bhakra Project 1 Chapter 2 Planning the Bhakra Project 15 Chapter 3 Bhakra Project: The Final Project Design and Related Developments 33 Chapter 4 Bhakra Project: An Analysis of the Command 41 Chapter 5 Food Production, Food Security and Bhakra 1950-1966 57 Annexure I to Chapter 5 87 Chapter 6 Food Production and Bhakra Phase II - The Green Revolution 89 Chapter 7 Role of Bhakra in Food Production 101 Chapter 8 Groundwater - the Real Driving Force 111 Additional Note to Chapter 8 127 Annexure I to Chapter 8 131 ii Unravelling Bhakra Chapter 9 Without Bhakra! 133 Chapter 10 A Dream Turns to Nightmare: Crisis in Punjab and Haryana 149 Agriculture Chapter 11 Waterlogging and Salinisation 169 Chapter 12 Environmental Impacts 191 Additional Note to Chapter 12 206 Chapter 13 Displacement, Uprootment, Rehabilitation 207 The Forgotten People Chapter 14 In Conclusion: Behind Bhakra, Beyond Bhakra 227 REFERENCES References: Main 239 References from the Net 265 References: Journals 271 Table of Contents iii TABLES Chapter Table No. Title Page Chapter 1 Table 1.1 Catchment and Runoff of the Indus Rivers at Rim Stations 5 Table 1.2 Name and Location of Doabs 6 Table 1.3 Areas Irrigable from Major Project in Punjab 1903 11 Chapter 2 Table 2.1 Summary of Bhakra Dam Project Proposals Over the Years 31 Chapter 3 Table 3.1 Bhakra Project : Irrigation Benefits 36 Table 3.2 Development of Irrigation from the Bhakra-Nangal Project 39 Chapter 4 Table 4.1 Statewise Gross Command Area of Bhakra Project 44 Table 4.2 Bhakra Gross Command Area as Percent of State Area 44 Table 4.3 Statewise Cultivable Command Area of Bhakra Project 44 Table 4.4 Bhakra Cultivable Command Area as Percent of 45 State Cultivable Area Table 4.5 Statewise Annual Irrigation in the Bhakra Project 45 Table 4.6 Bhakra Command Area in Rajasthan - Basic District Data 46 Table 4.7 Bhakra Command Districts in Rajasthan -Irrigation Data 46 Table 4.8 Districts in Bhakra Command in Haryana 46 Table 4.9 Districts in Bhakra and Sirhind Command in Punjab 47 Table 4.10 Canal Irrigation in Punjab (in Districts of Bhakra and Sirhind 49 Commands) 2001-02 Table 4.11 Canal Irrigation in Haryana in Bhakra Districts 1998-99 50 Table 4.12 Net & Gross Area Irrigated in Unified Punjab 53 (Including PEPSU) on Eve of Bhakra Project Table 4.13 Summary of Major Features of Irrigation from the 55 Bhakra-Nangal Project as per the 1953 Project Design Chapter 5 Table 5.1 Gross Production of Cereals, and Net Imports on Government 60 Account, Adjusted For Year-End Stocks of Foodgrains With Government Table 5.2 First Plan Targets – How They Were Met 72 Table 5.3 Second Plan Irrigation Targets and Achievements 73 Table 5.4 Outlays on Agricultural Production in Third Plan 78 Table 5.5 Targets of Agricultural Programmes Third Plan 78 Chapter 6 Table 6.1 Percentage of Cropped Area Under HYV in Punjab From 98 1966-67 to 1990-91 Table 6.2 Percentage of Cropped Area Under HYV in Haryana From 98 1966-67 to 1990-91 Chapter 7 Table 7.1 Wheat Production in Punjab and Haryana 103 Table 7.2 Rice Production in Punjab and Haryana 103 Table 7.3 Total Foodgrains Production in Punjab and Haryana 103 Table 7.4 Net and Gross Sown Area in Haryana 105 1950-51 to 1998-99 Table 7.5 Net and Gross Sown Area in Punjab 106 1950-51 to 1996-97 iv Unravelling Bhakra Chapter 8 Table 8.1 Net Area Irrigated by Source: Punjab 114 Table 8.2 Net Area Irrigated by Source: Haryana 115 Table 8.3 Land Productivity per Net Irrigated Hectare by Source of 118 Irrigation Table 8.4 Contribution of Various Sources to Agricultural Production - 122 Punjab Table 8.5 Contribution of Various Sources to Agricultural Production - 123 Haryana Chapter 9 Table 9.1 Mean Flow in Sutluj 138 Table 9.2 Dependable Flow in Sutluj River and Irrigation Requirements at 138 Bhakra Chapter 10 Table 10.1 Growth of Production and Input Use in Punjab Agriculture 156 Table 10.2 Burden of Debt on Punjab Farmers 164 Table 10.3 Growth (Decline) in Suicide Rates – India and Punjab 166 FIGURES Chapter Figure No. Title Page Chapter 5 Figure 5.1 Production and Area Under Cultivation of Foodgrains as a Percentage of All India for Unified Punjab and Haryana 80 Figure 5.2 Figure 5.1, Extended to Year 2001-02 87 Chapter 6 Figure 6.1 Foodgrains Production All India from 1965-66 to 1985-86 95 Figure 6.2 Production of Foodgrains in Punjab 1965-66 to 1985-86 96 Figure 6.3 Production of Foodgrains in Haryana 1965-66 to 1985-86 96 Figure 6.4 Production of Pulses in Punjab 1965-66 to 1985-86 97 Chapter 7 Figure 7.1 Net Area Sown in Unified Punjab from 1950-51 to 1965-66 104 Figure 7.2 Yield of Wheat in Punjab from 1950-51 to 2001-02 109 Chapter 8 Figure 8.1 Net Area Irrigated by Source in Punjab 114 Figure 8.2 Net Area Irrigated by Source in Haryana 114 Chapter 9 Figure 9.1 Maximum Water Level in Bhakra Reservoir 1975-76 to 2003-04 139 Figure 9.2 Per Capita Foodgrains Availability in India 1951-2001 144 Figure 9.3 Per Capita Availability of Pulses in India 1951-2001 144 Chapter 12 Figure 12.1 Cumulative Loss of Capacity at Govind Sagar (Bhakra Dam) 200 Figure 12.2 Longitudinal Section of Bhakra Reservoir Main Channel Showing Silt Deposit Profile 201 Table of Contents v ANNEXURES General Salient Features of The Bhakra-Nangal Project ................................................... A-1 Some Important Dates And Events ..................................................................... A-3 Glossary ..................................................................................……......... A-7 Abbreviations ...........................................................................……................. A-9 Units ..................................................................................…….......... A-10 Acknowledgements .......................................................................……........ A-11 List of Projects on Indus Basin Rivers ..........................................……......... A-15 Distribution of the Waters of Ravi, Beas and Sutluj .......……................. A-16 All India All India Area, Production and Yield of Wheat and Rice (1950-51 To 2002-03) ........................….......……..........….. A-19 All India Foodgrains Production (1950-51 To 2002-03) ......…..............…… A-20 All India Per Capita Per Day Foodgrains Availability (1951-2002) ……..…...................…….................. A-21 Consumption of Fertilisers ................................................……... A-22 Punjab Punjab at A Glance .................................................……................ A-23 Net and Gross Sown Area (1950-51 To 2001-02) .............................……........ A-24 Net and Gross Irrigated Area (1950-51 To 2001-02) ...........……............. A-26 Cropping Pattern For Selected Years (1950-51 To 2001-02) ........…….. A-28 Area, Production and Yield of Wheat And Rice (1950-51 To 2001-02) .................................…….................. A-31 Area, Production and Yield of Cereals, Pulses, Foodgrains (1950-51 To 2001-02) .........................……............ A-32 Area, Production and Yield of Cotton (1950-51 To 2001-02) ............................................……....... A-33 Fertiliser Consumption (1950-51 To 2001-02) ...............……...................... A-35 District-wise Annual Rainfall ...................................……................... A-36 Haryana Haryana At a Glance ..............................……................................... A-37 Area, Production and Yield of Wheat, Rice (1950-51 to 2002-03) ........................……........................... A-38 Area, Production and Yield of Cereals, Pulses and Foodgrains (1950-51 to 2002-03) ................................……................... A-40 Net Sown and Gross Sown Area (1950-51 to 2002-03) .......…..................... A-41 vi Unravelling Bhakra Net and Gross Area Irrigated (1950-51 to 2002-03) ......…...................... A-43 Cropping Pattern (Decadal) ..........................…............................. A-45 Area, Production and Yield of Cotton (1950-51 to 2002-03) ...........…............... A-47 Consumption