Conflicts over Canal Water for Irrigation in Mandya District, South India

Steen Folke ()
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Steen Folke: Centre for Development Research, Gammel Kongevej 5, DK-1610 Copenhagen V, Denmark

Journal of Social and Economic Development, 2001, vol. 3, issue 1, 106-120

Abstract: The article highlights several conflicts over canal irrigation in Mandya district, which spearheaded the green revolution in Karnataka. Intensive cultivation of paddy and sugarcane, based on canal irrigation from the Krishnarajasagar dam and reservoir, has brought relative prosperity to the district. But it has also created conflicts between those who are favoured — by land ownership, location, caste and political backing — and those who are not. While the conflicts are played out between individuals, they are often reinforced by caste differences, notably between the major farming castes, Vokkaligas and Lingayats, and between these and the Dalits. The problems in Mandya are compared to those in the Cauvery delta, which were illuminated in a previous article. Political interference in the water conflicts tends to exacerbate the problems. Parsimonious use and equitable sharing of water could lead to a more just and sustainable development.

Date: 2001
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