Institutions, technology and water control: water users association? and irrigation management reform ill two large-scale svstems in India Vishal Narain Propositions Proposals for reform in Indian canal irrigation need to consider their fit with the design of canal irrigation. This thesis The WUAs that are being formed in the state of Haryana at the moment are essentially arms of the bureaucracy. They are not vibrant, robust, self- governing resource users organisations. This thesis Institutional and technical reform below the outlet is meaningless in the absence of effective management of the main system or control over water supplies. - (Hunt 1989; Wade & Chambers 1980). WUAs are not associations of users of water, but of farmers who use water as an input into agriculture. WUAs would be more enduring if they were structured as multi-purpose organisations that were more central to the lives of their members. Goldensohn (1984) The world has problems. Universities only have departments. - A cynic's view on the need for inter-disciplinary research There is a difference between efficiency and effectiveness. Efficiency means doing more things in less time; effectiveness means doing the right things. - Stephen R Covey Propositions attached to the thesis Institutions, technology and water control: water user associations and irrigation management reform in two large-scale systems in India Vishal Narain Wageningen University, 28 April 2003 Institutions, technology and water control: water users associations and irrigation management reform in two large-scale systems in India Vishal Narain CENTRALE Promotoren: Prof.Dr. F. von BendahBeckmann, Professor of Agrarian Law. Max Planck Institute ft>r Social Anthropology, Halle/Saale, Germany Prof. L.F. Vincent, Professor for Irrigation and Water Engineering, Wageningen University Co-promotor. Dr. Peter P. Mollinga, Associate Professor, Irrigation and Water Engineering Group, X^ageningen University Samenstelling promotiecommissie: Prof. Dr. L.E. Visser, Wageningen University Prof. Gopal Naik, Centre for Management in Agriculture, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, India Dr. Waltina Scheumarn, Institute for Management in Environmental Planning, Technical University Berlin, Berlin, Germany Dr. H. Murray-Rust, International Water Management Institute, Hyderabad, India Institutions, technology and water control: water users associations and irrigation management reform in two large-scale systems in India Vishal Narain Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor op gezag van de rector magnificus van Wageningen Universiteit, prof.dr.ir. L. Speelman in het openbaar te verdedigen op maandag 28 april 2003 des namiddags te 16:00 uur in de Aula Institutions, technology and water control: water user associations and irrigation management reform in two large-scale systems in India. Wageningen Univeristy. Promotor: Prof.dr. F. von Benda- Beckmann and Prof. L.F. Vincent, co-promotor(en): Dr. P.P. Mollinga. - Wageningen : Vishal Narain, 2003. - p.198 ISBN 90-5808-815-4 Copyright © 2003, by Vishal Narain, New Delhi, India This thesis will also be published by Orient Longman, Hyderabad, India in the Wageningen University Water Resources Series with ISBN 81-250-2494-8 Contents Ust of Tables VI List of Maps vii last of Boxes viii Ust of Pictures Glossary x Abbreviations x*i Preface xiv 1. Introduction 1 2. Warabandi and shejpali as forms of protective irrigation 19 3. Policy support and resistance The process ofWUA establishment in Haryana and Maharashtra 64 4. Transferring control to water users associations Does design matter? 113 5. Beyond Community Demythologisingparticipation in irrigation management 156 6. Mediating scarcity by design Water distribution, water rights and equity in protective irrigation 180 7. Conclusion 211 References 227 Summary 245 Nederlandse samenvatting 250 Curriculum Vitae 256 v Tables 1.1 Shejpali and warabandi systems: a comparison 7 2.1 Protective and productive Irrigation 25 2.2 Design features of Mula Project 52 2.3 Duties for working out live storage necessary for irrigation in the Upper Pravara Project, Maharashtra 52 2.4 Comparison between warabandi and shejpali 56 3.1 Water Users Associations formed by the HSMITC, Haryana (December 1999) 69 3.2 Water Users Associations formed by CADA in Haryana (December 1999) 71 4.1 A comparison between the Lakshmi Narayan WUA and the Sitapur WUA 114 4.2 Effects of WUA formation: Lakshmi Narayan and Sitapur WUA 150 5.1 Water table level of Rampur village 161 vi Maps 1.1 Haryana and Maharashtra on the map of India 3 1.2 Index Map of Mula Project. Maharashtra 11 1.3 Irrigation commands in Haryana 13 3.1 Political Map of Haryana 70 3.2 District Map of Maharashtra 90 vii Boxes 2.1 Water scarcity in the WUAs chosen for study 53 3.1 The organisational and institutional framework for irrigation management in Haryana 65 3.2 The organisational and institutional framework for irrigation management in Maharashtra 80 3.3 Guidelines for formation of WUAs 82 4.1 Time line: Gowda village 115 4.2 Visit to Pehre's fields 117 4.3 Interview with Tukaraam Gangadhar Kale 118 4.4 Profile of the members of the Executive Committee of the Lakshmi Narayan WUA 130 4.5 Monthly meeting of the Executive Committee of the Lakshmi Narayan WUA 138 4.6 Interview with Canal Patwaari 145 4.7 Visit to the head of the Sitapur Minor 146 4.8 Interview with the Secretary of the Sitapur WUA 148 5.1 In terview with village Watchman 165 6.1 Visit to Kishan's fields 183 6.2 Typologies of the Irrigation Engineer as captured by the Irrigator-Engineer interface 204 viii Pictures 4.1 Pipe outlet at the head of the Minor No. X 132 4.2 Screw-type gate of the oudet at the head of the Minor No. X 133 4.3 Gated pipe oudet along the Minor No. X 133 4.4 Open Flume oudet at the tail of the Sitapur Minor 144 5.1 A Chaukhat or turnout 166 6.1 The pipe connecting the canal with the hawdi (view from the distributary canal) 189 6.2 The hawdi of the oudet (on watercourse side) 189 6.3 The watercourse taking off from the hawdi 190 6.4 Building diversions along the minor 203 Glossary Adhsali Sugarcane planted in July-August and harvested after 18 months Awsara Turn for taking water Bajri Pearl Millet Bandhara Weir Bawdi Large diameter dugwell Bhaichaara A relationship based on a feeling of brotherhood and friendship Burseem A fodder crop Chak Area commanded by an oudet Chakbandi Land consolidation Channa Chickpea Chaupaal A building that serves as a meeting place the village folk Chaukhat Field inlet Chowkidaar Watchman Gat number Revenue record number Gurudwara House of worship of the Sikhs Hookka Community Pipe Honour, respect Jai, Jaw Fodder Crops Johad Village Pond Jowar Sorghum Karkhana Factory Khal Watercourse Kharif The cropping season coinciding with the monsoon rains Glossary XI Kuchhi Warabandi Warabandi based on mutual consent Maal Fees for use of irrigation services Mandir Temple Mogha Outlet Nabar Canal Naka Field inlet Nala Rivulets/streams that drain excess waters in the fields Paatkari Waterman in charge of water distribution in an area of about 800-1000 ha Panchanama A statement of irrigation offence recorded by a canal officer Panchayat Unit of self-government at the village level Panna A geographical sub-boundary in a village Pracheen Old Patwaari Village level record keeper Phad system A system of irrigation managed by farmers for about 400 years in North Maharashtra on small river diversions Pucki Warabandi Warabandi based on a schedule prepared by the Irrigation Department Rabi Winter crop season Sahakari Co-operative Sarpanch Elected head of the Panchayat Shejpali A system of water distribution in which farmers apply for water at the start of the season on the basis of the area and crops; when applications are sanctioned, water is supplied tail to head to one farmer at a time. This system is practiced in Western India. Sugarcane planted in the month of November and harvested after 12 months Talati Village Level Record Keeper Thola Ancestral Family Unit Warabandi A system of water distribution prevalent in Northwest India and Pakistan in which the available water is shared by farmers for a time period fixed in proportion to the size of their land-holdings Abbreviations APM Adjustable Proportionate Module BDO Block Development Office CADA Command Area Development Authority CADP Command Area Development Programme CASAD Center for Applied Systems Analysis in Development CCA Culturable Commanded Area DIRD Directorate for Irrigation Research and Development EXEN Executive Engineer GOM Government of Maharashtra GOH Government of Haryana GOI Government of India HAD Haryana Agricultural Department HID Haryana Irrigation Department HIRMI Haryana Irrigation Research and Management Institute HSMITC Haryana State Minor Irrigation and Tubewell Development Corporation ICA Irrigable Commanded Area IMT Irrigation Management Transfer, Irrigation Management Turnover INPIM International Network on Participatory Irrigation Management IndianPIM Indian Network on Participatory Irrigation Management JE Junior Engineer SE Superintending Engineer xii Abbreviations SOPPECOM Society for People's Participation in Ecosystem Management SPK Samaj Parivartan Kendra PIM Participatory Irrigation Management RWS Rotational Water Supply USAID United States Agency for International Development WC Watercourse WRCP Water Resources Consolidation Project WUA(s) Water Users Association (s) Preface My first thinking on the subject of rural institutions and organisations goes back to my days as a student at IRMA, the Institute of Rural Management, Anand. That was when I started thinking about what made a vibrant, robust resource users organisation. Professor Tushaar Shah's notions of swayambhoo, or self-governing, self-replicating organisations left an indelible impact on my mind. This received further consolidation during my experience with TERI, the Tata Energy Research Institute, New Delhi where my exposure to the analysis of water management problems and issues shaped my thinking on the need for local level institutions for water management.