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| Persistence, Transformation and Demise within the Gravity Flow Irrigation Systems (Kuhls) of Kangra Valley, Himachal Pradesh |
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Reference |
| J. Mark Baker, "Persistence, Transformation and Demise within the Gravity Flow Irrigation Systems (Kuhls) of Kangra Valley, Himachal Pradesh", Paper presented at UBC Vancouver, CISAR workshop on "The Co-operative Management of Water Resources in South Asia". |
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Introduction to the Institution |
| These irrigation systems consist of a diversion structure, a main channel ranging in length from less than 1 to more than 40 km, numerous tertiary channels and hundreds of named distribution points. The majority of the kuhls in Kangra Valley were constructed without state patronage either by local elites or collectivities of farmers. Responsibility for managing and repairing each kuhl rested with the cultivators of the land the kuhl irrigated. |
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Rules for Management
of the Institution |
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(a) Boundary Rules |
| Spacial Boundaries: Kangra Valley, Himachal Pradesh, District Kangra has, approximately 715 kuhls that irrigate multiple villages and more than 2500 kuhls irrigate single villages. More than 30,000 hectares in the valley are kuhl-irrigated.Social Boundaries: In some villages cases all the villagers get equal distribution of water. However, the irrigators of other kuhls are characterized by relatively unequal land distribution patterns which often follow caste lines. |
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(b) Governance
rules |
| The annual maintenance and repairing of kuhls is done by communal work parties organized and supervised by the kohli (watermaster). Each kuhl's channel(s) must be cleared of debris, vegetation and the sediment deposited by the previous year's flow. Weak channel sections must be shored up. Additionally each kuhl's diversion structure or head works must be rebuilt at least once a year. The kohli is also responsible for performing the religious ceremonies associated with kuhl management, for supervising the transport and distribution of water in the kuhl. |
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(c) Resource Allocation |
| Kuhls vary dramatically in terms of the productivity of the land they irrigate, the availability of alternative post-monsoon sources of water, the scale and scope of coordination required for managing the kuhl, and the degree of social and economic inequality among the kuhl's irrigators.The irrigators of some kuhls are relatively homogeneous in terms of caste and wealth distribution. The irrigators of other kuhls are characterized by relatively unequal land distribution patterns which often follow caste lines. These inequalities are exacerbated when upper caste farmers cultivate the headend areas of a kuhl's command area and lower caste farmers cultivate tail end areas. |
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Conflict Resolution Mechanism |
| The kohli (watermaster) is responsible for resolving conflicts between farmers regarding water use. However, The potential for conflict is low among these kuhls for two reasons: 1) they tend to be shorter and hence their labor requirements for maintenance and repair are relatively low, and 2) the irrigators of these smaller kuhls generally come from single caste hamlets with relatively low levels of inequality between households, and households are embedded in extensive kin and other local exchange networks. |
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Problems Faced by Institution |
| There has been an increase in the nonfarm employment which has caused problems to kuhl regimes in four primary ways. It has resulted in decreased participation in kuhl maintenance work parties, increased inequality and conflict between headend and tailend farmers in terms of water consumption and contributions for system repair and maintenance, declines in the authority of the kohli and his ability to enforce customary rules, and changing cropping patterns |
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Changes in the Institution over time |
| Due to increasing nonfarm employment, there have been declining rates of participation in communal kuhl maintenance and repair activities. Out of the 39 kuhl regimes ten kuhl regimes persist unchanged, twenty have transformed their organizational structure to reduce the tensions and associated conflict, and remaining kuhls have collapsed. Farmers formed kuhl committees in the Neugal basin to strengthen the declining authority of the watermaster and to bolster the decreasing effectiveness of rules governing labor contributions for kuhl maintenance and repair. Committees also defend against external threats to the kuhl's water supply, usually posed by an upstream claimant. Committees also play important roles in facilitating acquisition of government grants for kuhl maintenance and repair, especially following destructive monsoon floods. |
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Purpose |
| Management and maintenance of the Gravity Flow Irrigation Systems |
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Country |
| India |
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Region |
| Kangra Valley, Himachal Pradesh |
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Date Of Publication |
| RS-05/12/1999 |
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