Micro-level Planning for Sustainable Land and Water Management: Bharathamala-Vattakkotta Watershed P.K. Suresh Kumar Discussion Paper No. 46 Kerala Research Programme on Local Level Development Centre for Development Studies Thiruvananthapuram Micro-level Planning for Sustainable Land and Water Management: Bharathamala-Vattakkotta Watershed P. K. Suresh Kumar English Discussion Paper Rights reserved First published 2002 Editorial Board: Prof. P. R. Gopinathan Nair, H. Shaji Printed at: Kerala Research Programme on Local Level Development Published by: Dr K. N. Nair, Programme Co-ordinator, Kerala Research Programme on Local Level Development, Centre for Development Studies, Prasanth Nagar, Ulloor, Thiruvananthapuram 695 011 Tel: 0471-2550 465, 2550 427 Fax: 0471-2550 465 E-mail:
[email protected] www.krpcds.org Cover Design: Defacto Creations ISBN No: 81-87621-48-6 Price: Rs 40 US$ 5 KRPLLD 2002 650 ENG 2 Contents 1. Introduction 5 2. Data and Method 7 3. Natural Resources and thier Use Patterns 14 4. Socio-economic Conditions 39 5. Resource Management 48 6. Watershed Development Programme: A blueprint 55 Select References 75 Appendix I 57 Appendix II 64 Appendix III 67 Appendix IV 73 3 Micro-level Planning for Sustainable Land and Water Management: Bharathamala-Vattakkotta Watershed P.K. Suresh Kumar* 1. Introduction Kerala is one of the States, which receive the highest rainfall in India, more than 3000 mm annually on the average. Despite abundant rainfall and a network of 44 rivers, the State faces drought during summer and flood during monsoons causing heavy economic loss and expenditure of enormous funds for relief programmes. The reasons for recurrence of such natural calamities include increasing density of population, increasing pressure on land, lack of awareness of conservation of land resources, and unscientific exploitation of natural wealth.