Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ESSENC
CE - Interna
ational Jourrnal for Envvironmentaal Rehabilitaation and Conservation
n
Volume VI: No. 1 2015 [134
[ – 149] [ISS
SN 0975 - 62722]
[ww
ww.essence-jouurnal.com]
Sah, Reeetesh
Abstractt
Water is i a precio ous gift ofo nature and a not change eveen after indeependence and a state
indispenssable for the survival ofo all forms of inteervention in the life off the peoplee for the
life. Watter resourcees regime inn Kumaun is a purppose of wateer administraation becamme highly
product of its specific environmenntal intruusive. Thiss paper thrrows light on the
conditionns. The Himmalayas, an integral
i partt of histtorical journney of wateer regime from
f the
the Indiaan heritage and their forests
f provvide pre--colonial eraa to the Brritish take over
o and
vegetativve cover for the major riiver systemss in projjects into thhe post-indeependence period.
p It
India andd are knownn as the wateer towers of the alsoo discusses the linkagges of watter with
country. The Major river system ms, lakes aloong foreests and hoow these liinkages disrregarded
with streeams and sprrings are thee main sourrces duriing the Brittish rule andd finally foccuses on
of water in this regio
on. Significaant changes and
a the watershed approach for f managinng water
reductionn in the foreest cover sinnce the Brittish resoources in thee present scenario.
period has had a deeteriorating impact on the Keyywords: waater | tradittional | resources |
water ressources. Thee colonial waater laws haad a coloonial | irrigattion
negative impact on water resouurces and waater Intrroduction
rights off the comm munity. It gaave priority to Watter is a precious
p giift of natuure and
private and
a state pro operty rightss over commmon indiispensable for
f the surviival of all forms
f of
property rights an nd related managem ment life.. Three quaarters of thee world is covered
practices. Community modes of o managem ment withh water, buut most off it is salinne. The
were not recognized in law. The situation didd
perccentage of saline water is 97, 2% iss ice and
1% potablei. If the entire water
w of the seas and
For correespondence:
oceans were to be put in a one
o gallon jeerry can,
Reetesh Sah, UGC-Acaddemic Staff Coollege, the fresh water availablee in riverss, lakes,
Kumaun University,
U Naiinital
Email: reeeteshsah@gmail.com spriings and beelow the earrth’s surfacee would
justt amount to a table spoonn. A person can live
134
S Reeteshh/Vol. VI [1] 2015/134 – 149
Sah,
135
S Reeteshh/Vol. VI [1] 2015/134 – 149
Sah,
“
today, thousands of years after thheir Sometime when the husbaand is
constructtion. unavoidablyy absent, or astrrological
Perhaps the
t most ammazing aspecct of traditioonal consideratioons render his
h actual marriage
m
water maanagement system
s was their
t longevity. with the peerson of thee bride unddesirable,
The basic principles that ensuredd sustainabillity she is formaally married to a pitcher of water
in the passt were- representingg him”.
1. In thee pre-coloniaal period wee find that thhere 6. The local communities had the right of
was no
n interventiion of state in various uses
u ownership over the use
u of locall natural
of waater. resources and
a the staate recognizzed this
right.
2. Availlability of water
w for it’’s citizens was
w
not a responsibiliity of the staate. Traditionally inn Kumaun, thet main sysstems of
3. Theree was com mmunity management
m of watter harvesting are guls, naulas,
n dharaas, lakes,
kunnd, khal, simmar or gazaar and wateer mills.
waterr for irrigation and drinkking as per the
Manny of these technologiess are still in use and
needss of the people.
p Traaditional waater
provvide a signiificant propportion of thhe water
manaagement took k birth from this system..
requuirements ofo the peopple. The traaditional
4. Wateer was revereed and regarrded as sacrred.
systtems are beinng detailed below:
b
Sincee the water bodies weree consideredd to
Gull - In Kumauun cultivatioon is done laargely on
be saacred, they were
w well maaintained.
terraced fields and since ancient tim mes, the
5. Wateer was so san nctified that River or ‘PPani
probblem of irriggating the fieelds was resoolved by
Dhara’ marriage was given due d recognittion
diveerting waterr from nearbby streams or o rivers
by thhe society annd law in Brritish Kumaaun.
throough channeels called gulls. They are the best
Sir Paanna Lal, I.C
C.S., who waas appointedd as
exam mple of watter resource managemennt in the
speciial officer, Kumaun
K Divvision to coddify
hillss and are ussually dug allong the conntours of
the Customary Law in Kumaun, has h
the slope. Apartt from irrigaation, guls were
w used
referrred to it. He
H submitted his codiffied
for drinking waater and for running ‘ghharats’ or
reporrt to the Govvernment on 7th April 19920.
watter mills.
Accoording to him m, “In the River or Pani P
In some
s areas, water from
m the streamm is first
Dhara Marriage, the bride iss taken to soome
dammmed and then t the irrrigation chaannel is
sacreed place on a river, occcasionally evven
madde. The sm mall dam constructed
c for the
to ann ordinary spring, shhe is publiicly
purppose is known as ‘baann’ in local parlance
marriied and decllared to be the t wife of the
andd ‘kulayana’ in Kumaunni means too irrigate
brideegroom. Absentee solddiers are offten
the field with gul
g or kul. Along
A the leength of
marriied in this way.”
w
the guls are outlets, whhich lead to t small
Againn the Kumb bh Vivah was
w also givven
secoondary channnels and aree known as ‘hawarr’.
recoggnition by th
he society. Sir Panna Lal
L
Irriggation channnels are off various siizes, the
has stated abo out Kumb Vivah thhat,
136
S Reeteshh/Vol. VI [1] 2015/134 – 149
Sah,
one, whiich is smalller than kuul is known as observed. Naullas were connsidered com mmunity
‘baul’. A boulder pllaced at the outlet contrrols propperty and thhe villagers revered
r theirr naulas.
flow of water. Therre is also ann outlet at the t past nauula water waas treated with amla
In the
lower end of the field, which alllows the exccess andd neem leavees. As the coonstruction ofo naulas
water to flow on to o the lowerr terraces frrom wass considered prestigious,, these structtures can
where it ultimately drains back to the streaam. be found in ancient
a wns, in and outside
tow
Sometim mes the flo ow water in i the gul is villaages and onn important roads.
r Somee naullas
obstructeed by a bouulder or hardd rock. In that
t are emblazoneed with inttricate archhitectural
case the peeled
p bark of a bananaa tree is usedd as desiigns. At tim
mes they are massive
m in size
s with
a water carrier or itt is channelized throughh a raised platform for both batthing and waashing.
wooden pipe.
p For maintainingg water tabble, providinng shade
Naula- They
T are designed to colllect water frrom andd fruit to thee people as well
w as bird life and
subterrannean springs. The flow of o these sprinngs to pay
p reverence to water, treest like oakk, kharik
is very sensitive and a can be disturbed by (Ceeltis australiss), siling (O
Osmanthis frragrans),
seismic activity and d human disturbance.
d In peeppal (Ficuss religiosaa), bargad (Ficus
Dwarahaat during su urvey it was
w found that
t benggalensis), tiimil (Ficus patmala), dudhaila
d
several naulas
n like Khulkuda or o Kholibhiitar (Ficcus memolarris), padam (Prunus cerrasodus),
have driied up owing to the tremor of the amlla (Emblicaa officinaliis), shatut (Morus
Uttarkashhi earthquak ke. Naulas arre sited mosstly alblla) and utis (Alnus nepaalensis) weree planted
on the hill
h slopes in the Lessser Himalayyan arouund and in close proxiimity to thee naulas.
region off Kumaun. TheyT are covvered reservooirs Thee people were aware thhat all formss of life,
and havee been con nstructed by ex-rulers and a humman, animal,, plant and micro-organ
m isms are
exhibit masterpiecee architecttural featurres. so closely inteerlinked witth one anotther that
Some of o the nau ulas like the Ek-hatia, distturbance in one gives riser to imbaalance in
Baleshwaar naulas in n Champaw wat are famoous otheers.
for its arcchitectural sp
plendours. Dhaara- It is a common source of drinking
The nauulas have a common design. Thhey watter and can be comparred with a drinking
consist of
o a tank thaat is closed on three sides watter fountainn. Dharas area located both in
and coveered. The fo ourth side, which
w is oppen, mouuntain crestss and valleyys. They are popular
has stepss that lead do
own to the tank.
t There isi a in townships
t a
also. In Naiini Tal itsellf, Parda
pillared verandah
v aro
ound them with
w engraviing. Dhaara and Sipphai Dhara are used as public
Animals are not peermitted to enter and the bathhs and peopple collect drinking
d watter from
system isi so design ned that thee users do not Chuuna Dhara, Tunestein
T Haall Dhara, Hanuman
H
contaminnate the so ource. All the water is Garrhi road Dhara,
D Mottapani Dhaara and
considereed sacred, even
e to this day the baasic Guffamahadeo Dhara
D etc. In dharas also,
a the
rules off sanitation and hygienne are mosstly pracctice of plaanting trees was in voogue for
sym
mbolizing the sanctity of o water. Thhe water
137
S Reeteshh/Vol. VI [1] 2015/134 – 149
Sah,
from a spring or a subterrannean source is Chu uptaula- Thhey are basiccally water holes
h for
channeleed through a carved ouutlet. The lattter animmals and aree sited mosttly in high altitudes
are oftenn in the shap
pe of a pipee or figuress of for use of graziiers. They are
a not permmanent in
animals. The most common
c onees are the lioons natuure and waater is colleected in theem from
and cowss. spriings or from
m points where water ooozes out
There aree three typess of dharas depending
d uppon m the grounnd. Faunal annd bird life also use
from
their heeights and nature of flow. If an this accumulateed water andd at times thhey serve
individuaal can easily drink waterw from the as an importannt source of o water forr human
dhara in a standing position, thhen it is callled connsumption at high altituddes.
Sirpatia Dhara.
D In an
nother situattion if one hash Khaal- Large deepressions inn mountainoous areas
to bend over
o for drinking water, then
t it is callled are used for rainwater
r haarvesting annd these
Murpatiaa Dhara. Botth these typees of dharas are feattures are callled ‘khals’. Mostly theyy are on
decoratedd with anim mal figures. The third tyype top of ridges inn the saddle between tw wo crests.
of dhara is not peren nnial in natuure. During the At times smalll dug pondss are also used u for
rainy seaason, some wooden sppouts or brooad colllecting rainw
water. Durinng lean periood water
leaves arre stuck in thhe path of a flowing streeam accuumulated inn the khals is used for irrrigation
or a sprring that geets rechargeed during that t purpposes. Whenn discharge of water inn guls is
period. As
A they are temporary in nature, thhey reduuced owing to the searinng heat of suummers,
are calledd Patveedia Dhara.
D thenn water is first
f accumuulated in a khal
k and
Simar- They
T are kn
nown as ‘gajjar’ also. Gaajar subsequently ussed for irrigaation.
is a marsshy tract of land
l in an aggricultural fiield Dhaaan- Water is collected from small and big
and is created by the water table beloow. streams and giiven the shape of a laake. The
Cultivation of high quality cropps like basm mati accuumulated water
w is used
u for domestic
d
rice, meddicinal plantts and herbs are a comm mon anim mals to baathe and itt is also used
u for
feature. The
T medicin nal plants normally groown irriggation.
in it aree two varieeties of braahmi (Centrrala Pree-British Ru
ules related
d with Waater and
asiatica) and (Bacop pa monnieri)). The former is other Natural Resources
R i Kumaun
in
used as a memory tonic,t as di--uretic and for In Kumaun
K irriigated agricuulture was practiced
p
curing leeprosy. The latter is useed as a nervvine sincce ancient times.
t It maay be assum med that
tonic andd in asthmaa and diarrhhea. The otther watter mill techhnology (Gharats) has the t same
medicinaal plants, which
w are congenial for hoaary past. A copper
c plate inscription of 1514
cultivatioon in gajar are
a bach (Accorus calam mus) A.DD. reveals thhe use of waater mills, 5000 years
and hallung (Card damine emp mpatiens). The T ago. Some significant features of the
common use of bach h is in dyseentry, bronchhial indiigenous system which were identtified by
asthma and
a epilepsy and of halunng in ulcer and a Brittish adminisstrators in thhe early 19thh century
colic painn. are as follows:
138
S Reeteshh/Vol. VI [1] 2015/134 – 149
Sah,
1. In prre-colonial period,
p foressts, land eitther authhority of the ruler over lannd was
cultivvated or unccultivated hadh never beeen acknnowledged and the govvernance off natural
measured by former kings for f the purpose resoources waas decentrralized. A local
of determining
d revenue payable to the commmunity hadd the right of o ownershipp, power
kingddom. of managemennt and rigght to use natural
2. Technnically the king had soovereign rigghts resoources. The pattern of useu of resourrces was
over all resourcees (forest, water,
w land etc.) evenn not changeed while givving grants of land or
in hiss kingdom; but
b they werre not subjeccted alteration in tennure relationnship. These changes
to tootal active control by the state for did not interruppt the rural governance. A rural
comm mercial purposes. legaal frameworrk that regulated mannagement
3. Local communitties had fuull access and a andd use of wateer or other natural resourrces was
rightss over forestt resources. demmarcated by customs
c andd traditions.
4. Village as a whole paid revennue dues to the Waater rules an
nd rights in British periiod
state,, and not onn an individdual basis. This
T In British
B periodd, relation between
b the state
s and
gave village com mmunities thet freedom m to the subject wass totally trannsformed, ass well as
budget their expeenditure on local
l needs and
a the use, managgement andd control off natural
conceerns. resoources. Staate sovereiggnty over natural
5. In his
h first yeear as Com mmissioner of resoources incluuding waterr was brougght into
Kumaun, Mr. G.W. G Traill in
i 1816, nooted operation in an extensiive, intrusiive and
that water
w rightss were comm monly held by com
mplete mannner. Besiddes drinkinng and
indivviduals and communitiees with resppect dommestic purpoose, the chieef use of waater was
to drrinking watter, irrigatioon and waater for irrigation and
a a speciaal use in thiis region
mills. wass that of runnning of waater mills (G Gharats).
6. Tradiitions, custo oms and rittuals governned Thee question off water rightts developedd around
the major
m part of
o rural life. The activitties thesse three usess of water annd was exerrcised by
relateed to use of water and itts managemeent, the village coommunity as a a whole, or by
for construction,
c maintenancce, distributtion indiividuals or group
g of indiividuals.
and repair
r of watter bodies; thhe mobilizattion
Thee question of rights vis-à-vis thhe state
of reesources waas part and parcel of the
arouused only with
w the advvent of British rule.
sociaal life of o commuunities. Ruural
Thee significannt changes that were brought
comm munities mainly
m admiinistered evven
about by Britissh administrration in thiis region
resoluution of disputes
d with very little
affeected the usse, managemment and coontrol of
refereence to the state.
s
watter resourcess.
7. Theree was de-cen ntralised judiicial system.
8. Castee assumed a critical rolee in the acccess In British
B period land tennures were changed
to lannd and waterr resources. withh the introduuction of priivate propertty rights,
diluuting the natture of comm mon propertty rights
To sum up, in pre--colonial Kuumaun, norm
mal
139
S Reeteshh/Vol. VI [1] 2015/134 – 149
Sah,
of collection of taxess. The Britissh thus adoppted watter and was being
b exerciised by the villagers
v
the policcy of recogn
nizing water rights in orrder as a whole or by b individuaals. The queestion of
nvestment annd compel the
to ensuree private in righhts vis-à-vis the state arose
a only with
w the
subjects to follow forest, waater and laand advvent of the Brritish rule.
revenue laws.
l Afteer colonial control
c changes occurredd in land
In colonnial period d, British administrattion systtem and com mmunity righhts transform med into
recognizeed the rule th
hat prior useers had the first
f indiividual rightts. Communnity manageement of
right andd later userss of water could
c only use
u watter resourcees was not included in the
water in such a way as not to haarm the rightt of reveenue laws. This
T conditioon still exists in the
earlier user.
u Prior use
u rights foorms the leegal pressent scenariio. Coloniall rule intervvened in
principlee, both in n custom and in laaw, the individual life in thee name of revenue
underlyinng water rights
r in thhe hills. This
T admministration. In the mid 19th century
doctrine gave recognition to it.. The rationnale agriicultural lannd in this reggion was measured,
m
was that in the hills, significantt investmentt of bouundaries of villages weere demarcaated and
money anda labour was w necessaary for carvving villaage recordss were preppared. Thesee earlier
out channnels in the mountainside
m e to carry waater recoords helped colonial govvernment to exercise
over lonng distance for humann consumptiion. conntrol over naatural resouurces of thee region.
When anny person orr communityy had invessted Rigghts over land, forest and water w of
so much labour to do d so, it woould be agaiinst commmunities werew finisheed and thesse rights
public poolicy to allo
ow a later usser of waterr to werre directly veested with thhe state.
disturb the rightt accruing from suuch In thhe mid 19th century, cenntralized govvernance
investmeent. In this process,
p thee state adoppted expanded in thiis region. In 1874 A.D. Kumaun
K
judicial functions
f th
hrough centrralized judiccial wass brought within thee purview of the
system. This
T processs deprived thhe authorityy of Schheduled District Act of o 1874. With
W this
local cusstoms over uses and management
m of inteervention, thhe control of
o state overr natural
resourcess. resoources increaased. The isssues of watter rights
Coloniall impact oveer water ressources werre closely associated witth the adminnistration
Colonial rule fun ndamentally altered the of land
l revenuee. The process of land revenue
relationshhip between
n the state annd subjects. The
T admministration seprated thee measured land of
control, use and managemennt of natuural the villagers (N
Nap) from thhe unmeasureed waste
resourcess was boug ght into opperation is an landd (Benap) annd forest lannd (Van), whhich was
extensivee, intrusivee and com mplete mannner. thenn vested to the Coloniaal governmeent. The
Besides drinking and d domestic uses, the chhief meaasurement and a classificcation of laand, viz-
use of water was forr irrigation and
a the runnning villaage land (nnap), unmeeasured wasste land
of water mills (ghara ats). The quuestion of waater (bennap) and foorest land (van) also classified
c
rights deeveloped around these three uses of watter sources asa falling onn privte nap land, on
bennap within village
v bounndaries or ini forest
141
S Reeteshh/Vol. VI [1] 2015/134 – 149
Sah,
cominng into forcce of these rules shall be 1908 as exttended to thee Kumaun Division,
D
consttructed or worked withoout the sancttion shall, so farr as they aree applicable and not
of thhe Collector,, and any mill
m or channnel inconsistentt with these rules, will apply to
whichh having beeen previoussly construccted suits institutted under theese rules.
and worked hass been disuused duringg a 10. In these rulees the local governmentt may by
period of one year
y or morre immediattely order direcct a revisiion of thee rental
beforre the cominng into forcee of these rulles, assessment of all or anny water millls to be
shall be deemed tot be a new mill or channnel made at suuch periods and in acccordance
for thhe purposes of
o these rulees. with such instructions,
i as they maay deem
4. Exceppt drinking
g water, waater for waater necessary.
mills or water ch
hannels for irrigation were
w Thee 1917 Watter Rules toook total coontrol of
brougght under direct coontrol of the state over wateer resourcess. Further the t non-
goverrnment. inteerference wiith the cusstoms by thhe state,
5. The Collector on n an applicaation or repport whiich was a convention
c i traditionaal Indian
in
madee to him and d after makinng such inquuiry jurisprudence wasw overturrned by the Anglo-
as hee may deem m necessary,, may sancttion Saxxon legal sysstem, by maaking custom m subject
the coonstruction of
o and presccribe conditioons to law and reguulated by it. Moreover the t legal
for thhe working of a new water mill or reguulation of custom waas maximized with
irrigaation channnel or mayy refuse suuch resppect to all functions
f rellating to thee use of
sancttion. watter resourcees, construcction, mainntenance,
6. The Collector
C had power to close
c any waater disttribution of water, taxation, defining
mill in order too protect irrrigation if he offeences, impoosing penaalties, heariing and
consiidered it necessaryy. For this t resoolving of dissputes. Thuss through theese rules
comppensation woould be payaable to the mill
m therre was a losss of power of local govvernance
owneer to be depo
osited in addvance with the over water.
Colleector. Proovisions andd Impact of
o Kumaun
n Water
7. The Collector wasw empoweered to asssess Rulles of 1930
waterr mills to rent,
r to checck water mills
m Thee Kumaun Water
W Rules 1917 was modified
m
thosee functionin
ng without permission, to afteer 13 years inn 1930 as Kumaun
K Watter Rules
impose penalty on water mills,
m to revvise of 1930. The main reasoon for fram ming the
rent or
o collect ren
nt from wateer mills. Watter Rules of 1930 was thhat in 1917 the
t focus
8. All other
o courts and
a officers were debarrred wass on gharats and rules foor irrigation channels
c
from taking cog gnizance of any matter or werre not well defined. Suubsequently disputes
dispuute in respectt of water. regaarding consstruction of irrigation channels
c
became rampannt and therefore it was felt that
9. In Kumaun
K Waater Rules of 1917 the
irriggation channnels and waater mills shhould be
proviisions of Code
C of Civil Proceduure,
143
S Reeteshh/Vol. VI [1] 2015/134 – 149
Sah,
separatelly dealt. Th
he main proovisions of the free from off rent.
rules are as follows- 10. If a mill is found to haave been connstructed
1. Goveernment willl raise no objection to the and workedd without saanction, the Deputy
consttruction of new
n irrigatioon channels by Commissionner may ordder it to be stopped
any landholder. Such channnels must not or dismantleed, or may assess it to rent and
reducce or otherwwise injurioously affect an allow it to continue,
c subbject to the payment
p
existiing right off water belonging to anya of penalty of not morre than threee years
otherr property. rental.
2. All disputes
d arising out of the
t workingg of Thee rules of 19930 were subbstantially siimilar to
consttruction of irrrigation channels shall be the rules of 1917 except for the prrovisions
tried exclusively by the revennue courts. relaating to waatermills. The
T proceduure with
3. In Kuumaun Wateer Rule of 19930 water mills
m regaard to applyying for waater mills waas made
(Gharats) and irrrigation channels (Guhhls) morre detailed. Stowell haas reported that an
were given sepaarate status and describbed annnual rent of 8 annas to Rs.
R 3 was leevied on
apparrently. everry mill.
4. With regard to the
t former, provision was w Thee British policy
p withh regard too water
madee to seek th he court’s intervention
i to distturbed the social
s equannimity in Kumaun,
K
establish easamenntry rights i.e.
i to constrruct whiich gave birrth to bickerring and dissensions
h another perrson’s land.viii
channnels through amoong communities. Stow well has poinnted out
thatt disputes inn connectioon with watter mills
5. The District
D Eng
gineer, the Chairman
C of the
usually take thee form of water rights. Disputes
D
District Board anda the Divvisional Forrest
about water became
b commmon, since many
Officcer were giveen powers too object to any a
streams did noot supply neearly enouggh water
irrigaation channeel (ghuls), if it was likelyy to
duriing summerrs for the reqquirement of o all the
damaage a road or public property
p unnder
villaagers that would
w like too utilize it. Another
their charge.
cause of disputte was a viillage that had h been
6. Proviisions relateed to water mills spelt out
irriggated from a stream from formeer times
the procedure
p wiith regards to
t applying for
cleaarly had a prior
p claim tot the waterr against
waterr mills in moore detail.
another villagee higher up the stream m, which
7. Local residents were givenn priority over hithherto had no irrigaation and which
otherr applicants in construuction of new
n subsequently sttarted an irrrigation channnel and
mills. cutss of the waater for the village beloow. The
8. Separrate laws were
w made for irrigattion diffficult situatioon must havve arisen when
w two
channnels of water mills, buut this did not villaages had irrrigation for a long time and the
affectt drinking water.
w villaage sited in the upper reach
r takes to using
9. In theese rules all Dharam Ghharats remainned morre than its old share of water,
w or the supply
of water
w decreaases temporaarily or perm manently.
144
S Reeteshh/Vol. VI [1] 2015/134 – 149
Sah,
4. Thus water legiislation hass joined forrest prefferably be taken on the demaand and
legisllation in excluding people frrom prioorities of the people.
manaagement and d curtailing their
t rights. As Defforestation and
a urban conglomeratiion have
there is no coord dination betw
ween the Forrest led to drying upp of water sources. In Dwarahat
D
Depaartment and other agenncies, the latter wnship in Alm
tow mora district it is said thhat there
overllooks the ro ole of forestts in providding werre about 3600 naulas in the 1900s, but now
vegettal cover forfo the pereennial flow of onlyy about 36 naulas
n have a perennial supply
s of
nd springs. The catchm
riverss, rivulets an ment watter. Rampant deforestatiion and unnnecessary
area treatment and conceept of sprring roadd constructtion in thhe catchmeent area
sancttuaries for the successs of the waater togeether with faulty
f plannning has ledd to this
schemmes has takeen a back seaat. crisis. Again inn the last twot decades in the
Conclusiion catcchment area of the riverr Gaula in Naini
N Tal
The histoory of water regime in Kumaun
K reveeals disttrict, almost 46% of thee springs haave dried
that in the
t pre-Brittish era, a wide range of up and
a almost 60% 6 have beecome seasoonal. The
rights floourished an nd custom gave
g rights of Uttaarakhand Goovernment has h recently reported
ownershiip to watter bodies. Water was w thatt in 2005 tilll May last 121 naturall springs
considereed a comm mon propertty even whhen havve dried up and in 8550 the capaacity has
private rights
r were prevalent. Under
U colonnial dwiindled by 500%. The probblem that thhe people
rule, propprietary righ
hts over water underwennt a are facing todayy in the hillss regarding drinking
completee change. Th he Kumaun Rules of 19917 watter is broadlyy-
and 19300 gave effectt to coloniall policy and the 1. Lack of repaair and mainntenance of pipelines
p
applicatioon of the laatter continuued even affter and storage tanks etc.
independdence throug gh the Act off 1975. This act 2. No conservaation of wateer is taking place.
p
gave efffect to conttemporary states policy of 3. Total neglecct of traditional water resources.
monopolly state control over water
w resourcces.
4. Acute paucity of drinkking water owing
o to
The act disturbed
d th
he social equuanimity of the
insufficient water in thee sources.
region annd water relaated conflictts have becoome
endemic.. 5. Lack of insiight to prommote vegetal cover
c by
the governm ment agenciies to mainttain and
Thus theere has to bee a redefinitiion of rightss to
increase thee water in thee sources annd also to
water reesources. Th he new legiislation shoould
recharge thee springs.
adopt ana integrated natural managem ment
resource approach to o replace the fractured leegal The problem ms that the people
p are facing
f in
policy and
a framew
work that is in force at the State Irrrigation Systtem are-
present. The
T particip pation of thee people shoould 1. The construuction of cannals is of veery poor
be ensurred in prep paration, maaintenance and a quality owinng to whichh the headw works get
operationn of water boodies. New projects
p shoould washed awaay and there is seepage also.
a
146
S Reeteshh/Vol. VI [1] 2015/134 – 149
Sah,
148
S Reeteshh/Vol. VI [1] 2015/134 – 149
Sah,
149