STRATEGY FOR REPAIR ANDREJUVENATION OFTRADITIONAL WATER BODIESIN BUNDELKHAND REGIONOF MADHYA PRADESH
PROJECT REPORT
A t a l B i h a r i V a j p a y e e I n s t i t u t e f o r G o o dG o v e r n a n c e a n d P o l i c y A n a l y s i s
JUNE 2020
JUNE 2020
S T R A T E G Y F O R R E P A I R A N D
R E J U V E N A T I O N O F T R A D I T I O N A L W A T E R
B O D I E S I N B U N D E L K H A N D R E G I O N O F
M A D H Y A P R A D E S H
P r o j e c t R e p o r t
Atal Bihari Vajpayee Inst i tute for GoodGovernance and Pol icy Analysis
T h i s d o c u m e n t i s b a s e d o n t h e d i a g n o s t i c s t u d yc o n d u c t e d b y I G G f o r t h e B u n d e l k h a n dD e v e l o p m e n t A u t h o r i t y t o s t r a t e g i c a l l ya p p r o a c h t a n k r e p a i r a n d r e j u v e n a t i o n e x e r c i s e
© Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance and Policy Analysis (IGG)
Sushasan Bhawan
Bhadbada Square, T.T.Nagar
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, 462003
www.aiggpa.mp.gov.in
This report is the property of the Institute and we encourage dissemination of our work for non-commercial and non-exclusive purposes, so long as the source is properly acknowledged. This report is the output of the study commissioned by Centre for NRM and Decentralised Governance, AIGGPA on request of the Bundelkhand Development Authority (BDA) to propose a strategy for the repair and rejuvenation of the traditional water bodies in the Bundelkhand region.
This document should be read with Operational Guidelines for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies in Bundelkhand prepared by Atal Bihari Institute of Good Governance and Policy Analysis (IGG), specifically prepared to help the practitioners to implement tank revival programme in the field.
In addition, for detailed technical assessment and for preparation of detailed revival plans, readers are advised to refer to Draft Report of the Technical Committee on Revival of Ancient Tanks, Department of Panchayat and Rural Development, Government of Madhya Pradesh, June 2020.
Conducted for:
Bundelkhand Development Authority
Project Guidance:
Mr. R. Parasuram, Director General, IGG
Mr. Mangesh Tyagi, Principal Advisor, Centre for NRM & Dec. Gov., IGG
Project Team:
Dr. Anitha Govindaraj, Advisor, Centre for NRM & Decentralised Governance, IGG
Mr. Yugandhar Mandavkar, Fellow, IGG
Mr. Soumitra M. Peshave, Research Associate, IGG
Key Words:
Traditional Water Bodies, drought proofing, community mobilisation, water budgeting,
Civil Society Organisations, sustainable water management, water governance.
To be cited as:
IGG; Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies in Bundelkhand
Region of Madhya Pradesh; Bhopal, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance
and Policy Analysis; June 2020.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page i
Preface
Bundelkhand region is gifted with thousands of traditional water bodies built
centuries ago by the erstwhile Chandela and Bundela rulers of the state and have
served as a lifeline for the people of the drought prone Bundelkhand region, both in
times of acute scarcity as well as in years of normal rainfall. Maintenance of these
tanks has been largely neglected and has severely impacted their storage capacity and
rendered many of them ineffective driving the region becoming water deficient.
The need for repair, rehabilitation and restoration of old tanks of Bundelkhand is
being increasingly appreciated by the actual users as well as all other stakeholders,
including district administrations and civil society organizations as the Rehabilitated
tanks can play a very important and significant role in augmenting water security
and climate-proofing across hundreds of villages in Bundelkhand.
A joint initiative named BIWAL (Bundelkhand Initiative for Water Agriculture and
Livelihood) has been taken up by the consortium of civil society organisations (CSOs)
to revive Bundelkhand to its ancient glory by reviving the traditional water bodies
and the surrounding ecosystem through community’s engagement.
The urgency and underlying importance of taking up a large-scale initiative cannot
be overstated. These tanks spread across six districts of Sagar Division run into
hundreds. They have several common features, but are also characterised by
problems that might be typical for some. It is relatively easy to take up tanks, one at a
time for treatment. However, when a large number of agencies take up simultaneous
work on a large number of tanks, it would be prudent to identify issues and
challenges that need to be borne in mind before on-site commencement of work.
Recognising the complexities involved, including technical and socio-economic
factors, which shall have to be studied and learnings brought to bear upon the entire
effort (later, for scaling up by the Government), the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of
Good Governance and Policy Analysis (IGG), Bhopal, who is the Knowledge Partner
for the initiative, has conducted a diagnostic study in association with Bundelkhand
Development Authority. Indeed, the Institute has been supportive in pushing for a
facilitative partnership with state and district administration to amplify the impact of
the project and reach the desired scale.
This strategy document is based on the learnings from the field visits and multiple
stakeholder consultations such as workshops and meetings. This document can be
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page ii
used by any stakeholder who is interested in taking up the tank revival exercise to
approach the tank revival exercise systematically.
I use this opportunity to thank Department of Rural Development, GoMP, Collectors
and CEOs ZPs of the districts, Tikamgarh, Niwari, Chhatarpur, Panna and Datia. I
appreciate the efforts being made by the civil society organisations such as SRIJAN,
CARD, Haritika, etc. and also acknowledge their support for the conduction of the
study and valuate inputs during the preparation of this document. Special mention
goes to Mr. Prasanna Khemaria and his team for critical insights and sharing the
wisdom from field. I would like to thank Mr. K.G. Vyas and other members of the
Technical Committee constituted by Department of Rural Development, GoMP, for
their valuable technical inputs.
I owe a special note of gratitude to Mr. Manohar Dubey, then Divisional
Commissioner, Sagar and the Bundelkhand Development Authority for their
financial support.
I congratulate the project team comprising of Mr. Mangesh Tyagi, Dr. Anitha
Govindaraj, Mr. Yugandhar Mandavkar and Mr. Soumitra M. Peshave for successful
completion of the study and for preparation of this strategy document.
R. Parasuram
Director General, IGG
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page iii
Executive Summary
Tanks of Bundelkhand are an integral part of its undulating landscape and played a
significant role in the lives of its people over the last several centuries. In the present
times, these tanks can play a bigger role by contributing to ground water recharge,
irrigation of crops, and water for household needs and livestock rearing. Several
efforts have been made in the last few decades to address these and other related
concerns for reviving the traditional water bodies through planned repair and
restoration of the entire water harvesting structure and its associated components,
both upstream and downstream. Recognising the complexities involved, including
technical and socio-economic factors, and the importance of these structures in the
lives and livelihoods of the people, the Bundelkhand Development Authority
conceptualised a diagnostic study along with Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of good
Governance and Policy Analysis (IGG), Knowledge Partner in this initiative. It is on
this background, IGG has taken up to formulate a strategy and to suggest guidelines
for repair and rejuvenation of these traditional water bodies over the next five years.
This report is an outcome of this diagnostic study.
Why this diagnostic study? This study on strategy for repair and rejuvenation of
traditional water bodies in Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh has the following
objectives.
To study the contribution of Bundela and Chandela tanks in the
socioeconomic life of the people living around them.
To study the outcomes of earlier attempts made to rehabilitate and rejuvenate
these tanks and identify main causes for their success and/or failure.
To identify elements for their successful revival by conducting a stakeholder
analysis.
To make recommendations for planning and implementation of a new
strategy for their revival
To prepare broad guidelines for tank rehabilitation.
What it covers: It covered the traditional water bodies in six districts of
Bundelkhand region in Madhya Pradesh - Chhatarpur, Damoh, Datia, Panna and
Tikamgarh and Niwari. It looked at the efforts of repairs, revival and renovation as
emerged during interactions with the district officials, Civil Society Organisations
and communities during field investigations. It was conducted mostly using
qualitative data collected directly from the field.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page iv
Who can use this document? This Strategy Document is useful to the
development administration and various developmental agencies interested in
addressing the water and livelihoods issues of Bundelkhand region. It is prepared
specifically for all collaborators of BIWAL and those interested in revival of tanks in
the region. It will help the Divisional Commissioners, District Administration, and
Zila Panchayat, funding agencies and Civil Society Organisations in guiding the
revival process. It is hoped that the government and the policy makers will find this
document useful while formulating programmes and schemes on revival of the
traditional water bodies.
Structure of the Report: This strategy document is organised into four sections as
per the follows.
The introductory section summarises the background, objectives and
methodology of the study and the structure of the document.
The second section describes the findings from the field together with
analysis in form of factors contributing to successful revival and challenges
therein.
The third section covers the areas of socio-economic impacts of tanks on
the local community, water use and management mechanisms, critical
analysis of previous efforts of revival, and present priorities.
The fourth section presents a strategy for repair and rejuvenation of
traditional tanks in Bundelkhand region. It covers three main aspects
related to technology, social and institutional aspects of community
involvement, and use and management of water resources after the revival.
This strategy document is expected to guide the policy makers, planners and
practitioners to rejuvenate the traditional tank systems and to establish sustainable
community-based systems of tank revival and management.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page v
Acronyms and Abbreviations
ASA Action for Social Advancement
BIWAL Bundelkhand Initiative for Water, Agriculture and Livelihood
c. circa
CARD Centre for Advanced Research and Development
CBO Community Based Organisation
CEO Chief Executive Officer
CSO Civil Society Organisation
CSR Corporate Social Responsibility
DA Development Alternatives
DP&RD Department of Panchayat and Rural Development
FFS Farmers Field School
FGD Focus Group Discussion
GoMP Government of Madhya Pradesh
IGG Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance and Policy Analysis
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
LEISA Low External Inputs Sustainable Agriculture
NOC No Objection Certificate
PFT Project Facilitation Team
SDG Sustainable Development Goals
SRIJAN Self Reliant Initiatives through Joint Action
SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
TMC Tank Management Committee
viz. namely
ZP Zila Panchayat
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page vi
Table of Content
Preface i
Executive Summary iii
Acronyms and Abbreviations v
1 About the Strategy Document 1
1.1 A Revival Initiative - BIWAL 2
1.2 Why the Diagnostic Study 3
1.3 What the Study Covered 3
1.4 How Was the Study Conducted 3
1.5 Who Can Use This Strategy Document 4
1.6 How to Use This Strategy Document 5
2 Traditional Water Bodies of Bundelkhand 7
2.1 About Bundelkhand Region 7
2.2 Traditional Water Bodies of Bundelkhand 9
2.3 Present Status of the Tanks 11
2.4 Revival Efforts in the Past 11
2.5 Key Lessons from Revival Efforts
16
3 Field Observations 17
3.1 Characteristics of Traditional Water Bodies 17
3.2 Methodology of the Field Investigations 18
3.3 Salient Features of the Selected Tanks 20
3.4 Technical Factors and Repair Needs 21
3.5 Social and Behavioural Aspects of Tank Usage 28
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page vii
4 Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation 30
4.1 Overall Strategy for Revival 30
4.2 Identification and Selection 31
4.3 Planning for Repair and Rejuvenation 32
4.4 Backward and Forward Linkages 34
4.5 Participatory Planning Process 35
4.6 Tank Management Committee 36
4.7 Appraisal and Commitment 37
4.8 Implementation Arrangements 37
4.9 Monitoring and Evaluation 38
4.10 Addressing Sustainability Concerns 40
Bibliography 41
Acknowledgements
1. About This Strategy Document Bundelkhand region has thousands of water bodies constructed by erstwhile
Chandela and Bundela rulers Water harvested in these tanks has been utilised mainly
for what is popularly known as Nistar purposes, that is household needs, by livestock
and other domestic animals, and during scarcity even as drinking water. A large
number of these thanks have provided water for irrigating crops and for fisheries.
The oldest of these could be from as early as the ninth century.
Tanks of Bundelkhand are an integral part of its undulating landscape and played a
significant role in the lives of its people over the last several centuries. They are an
important resource and determinant of lifestyle and livelihoods. Apart from adding
to social and economic values, they contribute to Bundelkhand’s natural and
aesthetic beauty inviting attention as facilities for rest and recreation.
Photograph of Hinni Sagar Tank, District Tikamgarh
In the absence of a concerted plan either decentralised to the village level or by the
government, and despite their continued usefulness, these tanks are in different
stages of neglect and degradation. In the present times, when worries arising from
the impact of climate change are a growing concern, ancient water harvesting
structures in the form of these tanks cannot be allowed to be wasted or underutilised.
More directly, these tanks can play a bigger role by contributing to ground water
recharge, irrigation of crops, and water for household needs and livestock rearing.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 2
These and other related concerns have led to a realisation that a concerted effort is
required for achieving the goal of repair and reconstruction of all tanks and for the
rejuvenation of the tank-based economies at the local level.
1.1 A Revival Initiative - BIWAL
A group of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) with experience of working on issues
related to water and livelihoods came together to form an informal consortium
named the Bundelkhand Initiative for Water, Agriculture and Livelihoods (BIWAL).
It aims to work on a larger and comprehensive economic and social development of
Bundelkhand, commencing with reviving the traditional water bodies through
planned repair and restoration of the entire water harvesting structure and its
associated components, both upstream and downstream. This work has been taken
up in collaboration with the Department of Panchayat and Rural Development and
with funding support from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of private
corporations.
Photograph of Kua Tal Tank, District Panna
The Bundelkhand Development Authority (BDA) has shown interest in the
continuance and scaling up the initiative, either by CSOs, by government agencies or
by both. Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance and Policy Analysis
(IGG), the Knowledge Partner in this initiative, has commissioned a diagnostic study
on the Traditional Water Bodies in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh to
formulate a strategy and to suggest guidelines for repair and rejuvenation of these
traditional water bodies over the next five years. This report is an outcome of this
diagnostic study.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 3
1.2 Why the Diagnostic Study
The main aim of this diagnostic study on repair and rejuvenation of traditional water
bodies in Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh was to gather insights into the
tank usage by the community and the revival processes. It was conducted with the
following objectives.
To study the contribution of Bundela and Chandela tanks in the socio
economic life of the people living around them.
To study the outcomes of earlier attempts made to rehabilitate and rejuvenate
these tanks and identify main causes for their success and failure.
To identify elements for their successful revival by conducting a stakeholder
analysis.
To make recommendations for planning and implementation of a new
strategy for their revival
To prepare broad guidelines for tank rehabilitation.
1.3 What the Study Covered
The diagnostic study covered the traditional water bodies in six districts of
Bundelkhand region in Madhya Pradesh - Chhatarpur, Damoh, Datia, Panna and
Tikamgarh and Niwari. District Tikamgarh has recently been bifurcated to carve out
a new district Niwari, but for all practical purposes it was considered to be one. This
study covered the water bodies created using traditional knowledge mostly during
the Chandela and Bundela regimes.
The study looked at the efforts of repairs, revival and renovation through
interactions with the district officials, Civil Society Organisations and communities
during the field investigations. These observations were corroborated with the
records and reports available with them and other sources.
1.4 How Was the Study Conducted
This diagnostic study was conducted mostly using qualitative data collected directly
from the field, keeping in view the goal to gather insights into the tank usage by the
community and the revival processes. The approach included the following main
components:
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 4
1.4.1 Inception Meeting: Inception meeting was conducted at Orchha on 30th
April 2019 with the district stakeholders like ZP CEOs, Heads of Departments,
SDMs, and local CSOs to have a basic understanding about the nature of the water
bodies and their revival. The detailed report on the proceedings of this meeting is
available on the website of IGG. It was followed up with visits to all districts for
detailed discussions with the respective stakeholders.
1.4.2 Secondary Data : Secondary data on traditional water bodies and
documentation on earlier efforts on revival available from the district officials, CSOs
and other sources were collected and compiled.
1.4.3 Samples for In-Depth Study : Fourteen water bodies were selected as
sample from the districts of Chhatarpur, Damoh, Datia, Niwari, Panna, and
Tikamgarh taking into account the criteria such as size, location, potential benefits,
peculiar features of the water bodies.
1.4.4 Aspects Studied : The sample tanks were visited for in-depth assessment of
the following aspects.
Technical aspects: about catchment area and incoming channels; any
obstacles in channels occurred due to human activities like construction or
agriculture; siltation; embankment condition; waste weir condition and level;
soil characteristics like porosity, infiltration and storage capacity.
Tank Specific Issues : Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted
with the local communities to understand the water body specific issues and
the associated socio economic benefits.
Experiences and Perceptions : Stakeholder consultations with local
CSOs, district administration, Gram Panchayat leaders and members of
Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and User Groups on their
experiences and perceptions about revival and utility.
Success Factors: Key elements necessary for the successful revival were
identified from analysis of findings of the above-mentioned exercises.
1.5 Who Can Use This Strategy Document?
This Strategy Document is useful to the development administration and various
developmental agencies interested in addressing the water and livelihoods issues of
Bundelkhand region. It is prepared specifically for all those interested in revival of
tanks in the region. It will help the Divisional Commissioners, District
Administration, and Zila Panchayat, funding agencies and civil society organisations
in guiding the revival process. It is hoped that the government and the policy makers
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 5
will find this document useful while formulating programmes and schemes on revival
of the traditional water bodies.
Raipura Tank, Panna District
1.6 How to Use This Strategy Document
This strategy document is organised into four main sections.
Section 1: This introductory section summarises the background, objectives and
methodology of the study and the structure of the document.
Section 2 : The second section describes the field observations in detail and
findings from the information collected through primary and secondary sources. It
covers the recently launched Bundelkhand Initiative for Water, Agriculture and
Livelihoods (BIWAL). To conclude this section, analysis of the findings is presented
in form of factors contributing to successful revival and challenges therein.
Section 3 : The third section covers the areas of socio-economic impact of tanks on
the local community, water use and management mechanisms, critical analysis of
previous efforts of revival, and present priorities.
Section 4 : The fourth section presents a strategy for repair and rejuvenation of
traditional tanks in Bundelkhand region which the government may consider for any
future interventions. It covers three main aspects related to technology, social and
institutional aspects of community involvement, and use and management of water
resources after the revival. The focus of this strategy is to establish sustainable
community based systems of tank revival and management.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 6
This strategy document should be read along with the Operational Guidelines for
Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies in Bundelkhand (published
by IGG in June 2020), which is specifically prepared to help the practitioners to
implement tank revival programme in the field. These guidelines serve as a reference
document for the implementing organisations of the government, Gram Panchayat,
CSOs or funding agencies.
For detailed technical assessment and for preparation of detailed revival plans,
readers are advised to refer to the Draft Report of the Technical Committee on
Revival of Ancient Tanks, Department of Panchayat and Rural Development,
Government of Madhya Pradesh, March 2020.
Barat Tank, District Chhatarpur
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 7
2. Traditional Water Bodies of Bundelkhand
This section presents the field observations in detail and findings from the study. It
covers the areas of socio-economic impact of tanks on the local community, water
use and management mechanisms, critical analysis of previous efforts of revival,
present situation and revival priorities. The analysis of the findings is presented in
form of factors contributing to successful revival and challenges therein.
2.1 About Bundelkhand Region
2.1.1 Location: Bundelkhand region, covering thirteen contiguous districts of Uttar
Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, has a long history of water scarcity and draughts. It
covers six districts from Uttar Pradesh (namely, Banda, Chitrakoot, Hamirpur,
Jhansi, Lalitpur and Mahoba) and seven districts of Madhya Pradesh (Chhatarpur,
Damoh, Datia, Niwari, Panna, Sagar and Tikamgarh).
Fig 2.1 Budelkhand Region
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 8
Geographically, it straddles across the Vindhyan plateau (largely in Madhya Pradesh)
and the Gangetic plains (largely in Uttar Pradesh). The Bundelkhand region lies at
the heart of India located South of the Indo-Gangetic plain and the undulating
Vindhyan mountain range spread across the northwest to the south.
2.1.2 Size: The study area is the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh covers an
area of 70800 km² and is located between 23°20’ and 26°20’ N latitude and 78°20’
and 81°40’E longitude. The total population of the study area is 86,53,492 (as per
2011 Census) residing in 7,157 villages corresponding to 11.91 percent of the total
population of the State.
2.1.3 Land Resources: The area is characterised by a high percentage of barren
and uncultivable land (12.61% of total geographic area, in addition to 9.35% of Forest
Land). About 56.61% of the geographic area is under cultivation, out of which over
53.42% is irrigated. Surprisingly, canal irrigation is on less than 15% of the irrigated
area, whereas groundwater is a source of irrigation for 61.65% of the irrigated area.
The soil is a mixture of black and red-yellow which is not considered very fertile.
2.1.4 Rainfall : The rainfall is sparse to moderate with the Annual Average Rainfall
in the region varying from 622.97 mm for Rahatgadh of District Sagar to 1285.30
mm for Khurai, District Sagar. Considering the stations for which data is available for
at least 16 years, the variability across years is low, as indicated by low coefficient of
variation for annual rainfall (mostly around 30%-35%). Similarly, over 85% of it is
received during the four months of monsoon (June to September), thus favouring
kharif cultivation.
Table 2.1 Summary of Rainfall Analysis
Blocks with the Highest Annual Average Rainfall
Blocks with the Lowest Annual Average Rainfall
• Khurai (Sagar) : 1285.30 mm
• Jabera (Damoh) : 1277.48 mm
• Tendukheda (Damoh) : 1270.54 mm
• Bada Malhara (Chhatarpur) : 1085.81 mm
• Jabera (Damoh) : 1208.60 mm
• Tendukheda (Damoh) : 1217.40 mm
Blocks with the Highest Seasonal Rainfall
Blocks with the Lowest Seasonal Rainfall
• Rahatgadh (Sagar) : 622.97 mm
• Malthon (Sagar) : 645.76 mm
• Sewda (Datia) : 697.73 mm
• Sewda (Datia) : 631.84 mm
• Niwari (Niwari) : 710.41 mm
• Prithvipur (Niwari) : 713.44 mm
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 9
2.1.5 Livelihoods: The agricultural productivity is very low in spite of good
irrigation coverage, which varies from 31.9% of cultivated area in District Panna to
80.27% in District Tikamgarh (GOI, undated). This area once was rich in forests, but
has lost its forest cover to a large extent. It presently stands at 9.35% of the total
geographic area. Rainfed agriculture and livestock rearing is the mainstay of rural
economy of this region, with the density of cattle population is one among the
highest in India (Development Alternatives, undated-2). Over years, mining of
minerals and stone-quarrying has emerged as a major non-farm activity, but it is
carried out in an exploitative mode.
Maharajganj Tank, District Chhatarpur
2.2 Traditional Water Bodies of Bundelkhand
2.2.1 Early History: Historically, the rulers of many small princely states of
Bundelkhand responded to the endemic water scarcity by harvesting rainwater and
constructing wells for the human population and the cattle. The Chandela dynasty (c.
9th century to c. 14th century) was one of great tank builders - they built tanks
primarily as water storage rather than irrigation structures.
2.2.2 Later Development: This tradition was carried forward by Bundela rulers,
who came to power in c. 16th century. Apart from building new tanks, they repaired
and reconstructed tanks from an earlier time, and built canals for irrigation. In the
late 19th century and subsequently after Independence, Irrigation Department took
over the maintenance of big tanks and provided sluice gates and distribution canals
for flow irrigation. Some new tanks were also constructed. It led to increase in
irrigated area by about five-folds in post-independence period (Satpathy, 2002).
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 10
2.2.3 Water Use: These tanks were mainly used for domestic consumption and for
cattle. People were also allowed to catch fish, and for some communities this became
a means of livelihood. Some of the larger tanks did have sluice gates and some had
structures for feeding water to nearby lands, but the area so irrigated directly was
quite small. However, the tanks helped increase groundwater levels in the
surrounding region, enabling construction of wells. While few large tanks had been
used for flow irrigation through sluice gates and canal network, mostly the irrigation
benefits came through recharge to shallow wells around the tank (Sakthivadivel, et
al, 2004). With advent of technology and availability of small sized oil engines and
electric pumpsets, lifting of water from tanks for irrigation increased, especially in
the last 40-50 years.
Kishanpura Tank, District Tikamgarh
2.2.4 Irrigation growth: According to a report published by Irrigation
Department, District Tikamgarh has 995 Chandeli tanks, of which nearly 100 tanks
are used for irrigation with a potential of nearly 17500 ha. Out of the 115 schemes of
Water Resources Department (WRD, erstwhile Irrigation Department), nearly 60 are
on Chandeli tanks having a design command area of 16000 ha (as quoted by
Sathpaty et al; 2002)
2.2.5 Policy changes: In the past, the tanks were reportedly maintained and
managed by the rulers. During late 1970’s, tanks irrigating less than 40 ha of land
were transferred to the Panchayat Raj Department. Another major institutional
change happened in 1999, that under the MP Sinchai Prabandhan Mein Krishakon
Ki Bhagidari Act, the responsibility for distribution of water among users and
maintenance of irrigation system has been transferred to the newly formed Water
Users Associations (Srijan, 2006).
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 11
2.3 Present Status of the Tanks
As observed by several authors, deforestation, diversion of catchment areas for other
purposes, siltation and neglect of maintenance have severely impacted the storage
capacity of these traditional tanks and rendered many of them ineffective. Due to
fertile soil accumulated in the tanks due to siltation, the tank beds became land of
choice for cultivation. Tanks generally are full of water only in the monsoon. The
authorities, namely the Water Resources Department, Revenue officials and Gram
Panchayats, leased out dry tank beds for agriculture after the water receded or after
tank beds dried. But, often, the farmers did not wait until then and started cultivating
by breaching the embankment. Thus, encroachment on tanks beds got systemic
encouragement, thereby rendering the original goal of water augmentation and
conservation ineffective (Sathpaty et al; 2002). Observations from this field study
broadly demonstrate the same pattern with varying degree of intensity.
Singhpur Tank, District Damoh
2.4 Revival Efforts in the Past
Realising that revival of tanks can assure drinking water to many people living
around the tanks and also can provide drought proofing for agriculture, leading to
overall economic development of people, many efforts have been taken up by the
Government and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to revive the traditional water
bodies in Bundelkhand region. Unfortunately, very little documentation or
institutional memory exist on these efforts in the records of various departments or
Panchayat Raj institutions. The study could identify only three instances - two from
documents and one from memory recall - of tank revival efforts in the past few
decades. These are summarised in Box 2.1.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 12
2.4.1 Revival by District Authorities: This was a wide scale initiative in
Bundelkhand taken up in 2002 and continued for about three years. It was perhaps
prompted by the popular campaign to clean the city tank in Sagar by then District
Collector of Sagar, Mr Naidu. It was achieved by mobilising farmers, who owned
tractors, and local contractors, who owned excavators to remove the silt from the
tank to be taken to farms. The District Administration provided a certain quantity of
fuel to the vehicle owners, and the rest was the contribution of farmers and vehicle
owners. Shortly after its demonstration in Sagar city, this activity was launched in
several villages in the district.
The success of this initiative was
noticed during the following monsoon.
In spite of low rainfall in that year, the
tanks or villages where cleaning or
desilting work was carried out did not
face water scarcity as much as their
neighbours did. This generated
considerable interest among the people
and motivated several administrators
to launch similar campaigns in their
districts.
2.4.2 Tikamgarh Initiative:
Following the drought of 2002-03,
which resulted in excessive exploitation
of the tanks and small water reservoirs
leading to extreme water scarcity, a
campaign was launched by the District
Collector, who was also the Mission
Leader of the District Watershed
Mission. It was a communication, educational and public awareness campaign in the
district involving a range of stakeholders and user groups in cleaning of tanks and to
make the public aware of the multiple benefits that can accrue from proper
management of the water bodies (Aniruddhe Mukerjee, 2005). It entailed the
following:
• Mass awareness campaign (first week of February 2003) to highlight importance
of conservation of water bodies and to advise people to keep them clean.
• Observe World Wetland Day on 2nd February 2003 during the weeklong
programme to highlight rational use of water resources.
• Desilting and cleaning of tanks, uprooting of Ipomoea, removal of algae and
construction of gabions on inlet channels to prevent silt inflow, cleaning of
effluent discharge system of towns and villages so as to stop inflow of garbage
into the tanks.
Box 2.1 Prominent Revival Interventions in the Recent Past
Three instances - two from documents and
one from memory recall - of tank revival
efforts in the past few decades could be
traced. These are :
• Revival work by district authorities in
District Sagar in year 2002-04
• Revival work by district authorities in
District Tikamgarh in year 2003
• Revival work of irrigation tanks by a
CSO, SRIJAN, in 2001-04
In addition, two ongoing efforts were
studied:
• Initiatives like Jan Sahbhagita
(people’s involvement) by District
Administration.
• BIWAL (explained separately)
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 13
• The programme was implemented by the government departments as well as
CSOs, fishermen cooperative societies, Irrigation Department and Water Users’
Associations (WUAs). Twelve CSOs (including seven under Swashakti and four
under DPIP) were allocated 224 villages to lead the campaign.
Land Survey of Tank Bed, Alopa Tank, District Tikamgarh
It resulted in cleaning of 139 tanks, cleaning of lanes and streets in 435 villages,
construction of 1622 NADEP compost units, and construction of 45 rainwater
harvesting structures. This Tikamgarh initiative was well documented by Aniruddhe
Mukerjee (op cit). However, documentation or records on other initiatives could not
be found in the districts visited.
2.4.3 Revival of Tanks by SRIJAN : In 2001, Self-Reliant Initiatives through
Joint Action (SRIJAN), a Civil Society Organisation working on rural livelihoods,
took up repair and rejuvenation of five large tanks in Jatara Block of Tikamgarh for
restoring irrigation. The work included desilting of tanks, repairs of sluice and canal
network, including lining of canals. Additional water so supplied gave an extra
irrigation cycle to most of around 400 command area farmers (Srijan, 2006).
The focus was on community participation in revival and subsequent management of
tanks, prompted by MP State Act on Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM),
whereby the responsibility for distribution of water among users and maintenance of
irrigation system has been transferred to the newly formed Water Users’ Associations
(WUAs). SRIJAN, collaborating with Water Resources Department and Zila
Panchayat, completed repair works and constituted the Water User Associations.
These functioned well for a few years, but gradually became ineffective after SRIJAN
withdrew.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 14
Lidhoura Touri Tank, District Tikamgarh
2.4.4 Other Initiatives: Repairs of traditional water bodies has been routinely
done by the Zilla Panchayat for the last two decades. These included repairs of
embankment and waste weir, and cleaning of canals in case of irrigation dams. In
some cases, soil water conservation works were taken up in the catchment of some
tanks; it was done mostly under watershed projects. Water Resources Department
used to routinely carry out cleaning and repairs of canal networks of the functional
irrigation dams. But all these activities were carried out as per the prevailing
priorities of various schemed, and not with the focus on tank revival.
In the last few years, many districts in Bundelkhand initiated the tank rejuvenation
work with Jan Sahbhagita (people’s involvement). The works included desilting and
repairs of embankment or waste weir in these tanks. The administration could
mobilise community support in terms of voluntary labour contribution and provide
tractors and trolleys without rent. Considerable work was reportedly done in this
manner in districts Panna and Damoh.
2.4.5 BIWAL: In the last year, a group of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) with
experience of working in the Bundelkhand region, as well as in other parts of MP and
UP on issues connected with water, agriculture and livelihoods came together to
form an informal consortium named the Bundelkhand Initiative for Water,
Agriculture and Livelihoods (BIWAL). It aims to work on a larger and comprehensive
economic and social development of Bundelkhand, commencing with reviving the
traditional water bodies through planned repair and restoration of the entire water
harvesting structure and its associated components, both upstream and downstream.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 15
This revival work has been taken up in collaboration with the Department of
Panchayat and Rural Development and with funding support from Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) of private corporations. Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good
Governance and Policy Analysis (IGG) is the Knowledge Partner in this initiative.
Desiltation in Bhamora Khas Tank, District Niwari
In the first year, the implementation responsibility is taken up by three voluntary
organisations in Madhya Pradesh, namely, Self-Reliant Initiatives through Joint
Action (SRIJAN), Haritika, and Centre for Advanced Research and Development
(CARD). In addition, organisations like Action for Social Advancement (ASA),
Development Alternatives (DA) have played important role in contributing ideas for
action. In Uttar Pradesh, the initiative is being implemented by the voluntary
organisations like Bundelkhand Sewa Sansthan, Arunodaya, Yuva Kaushal Vikas
Mandal, and Akhil Bhartiya Samaj Sewa Sansthan. This Study also benefitted from
analysing the efforts and processes of tank revival under BIWAL, which is getting
into planning for second phase at present. Documentation of the tank revival process
adopted by these partners under BIWAL was carried out to enrich the study. It
helped getting insights into the current perspective or outlook of the community
about the traditional water bodies and their linkage with livelihoods.
2.5 Key Lessons from the Revival Efforts
Main lessons from these efforts at revival of traditional water bodies in the recent
past could be summarised as per the follows:
• Communities have keen interest in revival of traditional water bodies, since they
derive many socio-economic benefits from those tanks.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 16
• Campaign mode of revival is effective in getting quick results, but requires
intensive awareness and community mobilisation efforts. It also requires going
beyond routine working style of the administration and continuing coordination
between the field departments.
• Tank revival activities should
address the felt needs of the
community. In all the above cases,
communities could identify with
three of their prominent needs,
namely, silt for farmers (soil
health), water availability in times
of scarcity (drinking water
security), and water for irrigation
(economic or productive uses).
• It should be demand driven -
these felt needs should translate
into the demands of the
community. In case of Jan
Sahyogita initiative, the
awareness campaign could
translate the need into popular
demand, whereas in case of SRIJAN’s initiative, consistent community
awareness and mobilisation efforts for a long duration generated the demand.
• Involvement of community in planning, implementation and subsequent
operations and maintenance of the water bodies is a must, and a sustainable
management mechanism must be established from the very beginning.
• In order to sustain the involvement of the community in sustainable
management, the benefits should continue to accrue to all stakeholders in
equitable manner. For the same reason, it is equally important that the
technology and management systems adopted should benefit a wide range of
stakeholders.
• In essence, the main success factors are
• Need-based and demand-driven
• Technically appropriate
• Community involvement
• Stakeholder engagement
Lessons learnt from the past work and summary of lessons and insights from the
secondary data, as presented above, were used while formulating the strategy.
Detailed observations from the field and key findings of the study are presented in
the next section.
Box 2.2 Key Lessons
Success Factors distilled from the
analysis of these initiatives can be
summarised as:
• Communities are interested in
revival, as they benefit from it
• Tank revival should be done based
on the needs of the community
• Interventions to be demand driven
• Communities must be involved right
from the planning or appraisal stage
• Benefits must accrue to all sections of community in an equitable manner
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 17
3. Field Observations
This section presents the field observations from the in-depth study of 14 tanks
selected as sample, and the inferences drawn from those observations.
3.1 Working Definition of a Traditional Water Body
A working definition of a Traditional Water Body in the context of this initiative as
the one constructed as per the traditional knowledge. It is a surface water storage
structure for impounding rainwater and resulting runoff, along with its water
handling system comprising of the submergence area and structures like bunds,
waste-weir, water courses and field channels, etc. Practically speaking, in the context
of Bundelkhand region, it would include the water bodies built during the Chandela
and Bundela times as per then prevalent technical knowledge and practices. These
would essentially include the water bodies constructed from the 9th to the 19th
Century.
3.2 Methodology of the Field Investigations
This diagnostic study was conducted mostly using qualitative data collected directly
from the field, keeping in view the goal to gather insights into the tank usage by the
community and the revival processes. A compilation of the secondary data was
carried out using the multiple lists obtained from the Department of Rural
Development (mainly, CEO, ZP level) and the Water Resources Department. As these
lists were prepared at different points of time for different purposes (mainly year-
wise listing of tanks planned to be repaired under various programmes like
MNREGA), a comprehensive single was compiled covering over thousand one
hundred traditional water bodies. Fourteen traditional water bodies selected as a
sample from this comprehensive compilation for in depth study.
3.2.1 Samples for In-Depth Study : Fourteen water bodies were selected as
sample from the districts of Chhatarpur, Damoh, Datia, Niwari, Panna, and
Tikamgarh taking into account the criteria such as size, location, potential benefits,
peculiar features of the water bodies.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 18
Table 3.1: Distribution of the Sample Traditional Water Bodies
District Tanks under PRIs
Tanks under WRD
Unclassified Total Sample selected
Chhatarpur 74 12 55 141 3
Damoh 64 152 2 218 2
Datia - 28 18 46 2
Panna 271 130 - 401 2
Niwari 48 - - 48 2
Tikamgarh 128 135 - 263 3
Total 585 457 75 1,117 14
Fig 3.1 Map Showing Tanks Selected as Sample
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 19
Fourteen tanks were selected, in consultation with the district authorities, taking into
account the criteria such as size; location; potential benefits; peculiar features of the
water bodies, as sample for in-depth study and analysis (Table 3.2).
Table 3.2: Traditional Water Bodies Selected for Detailed
S No District Block Gram Panchayat
Village Tank Name Jurisdiction
1 Chhatrapur Buxwaha Padariya Padariya Padariya Talab GP
2 Chhatrapur Chhatarpur Dalon Dalon Dalon Talab GP
3 Chhatrapur Nowgong Douriya Douriya Douriya Talab GP
4 Damoh Damoh Dhigsar Dhigsar Dhigsar Talab GP
5 Damoh Batiyagarh Singhpur Singhpur Fur Tal GP
6 Datia Datia Bikar Bikar Bikar Talab GP
7 Datia Datia Nauner Nauner Khatibaba ka talab
GP
8 Panna Pawai Banoli Banoli Kua Tal WRD
9 Panna Shahnagar Raipura Raipura Raipura Talab WRD
10 Niwari Niwari Sakuli Dabar Dabar Purana Tal GP
11 Niwari Niwari Kurdar Kurdar Purania Tal GP
12 Niwari Prithvipur Chikta Gulada Gulada Doribai ki Tallaiya
GP
13 Niwari Prithvipur Mazra Suri Mazra Suri Chandeli Talab GP
14 Tikamgarh Palera Kishanpura Kishanpura Sunrai Talab GP
15 Tikamgarh Palera Chari Chari Madansagar GP
16 Tikamgarh Palera Jaruwa Jaruwa Jaruwa Talab GP
3.2.2 Scope of the Field Study : The sample tanks were visited for in-depth
assessment of the following aspects.
Technical aspects: about catchment area and incoming channels; any
obstacles in channels occurred due to human activities like construction or
agriculture; siltation; embankment condition; waste weir condition and level;
soil characteristics like porosity, infiltration and storage capacity.
Tank Specific Issues : Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted
with the local communities to understand the water body specific issues and
the associated socio economic benefits.
Experiences and Perceptions : Stakeholder consultations with local
CSOs, district administration, Gram Panchayat leaders and members of
Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and User Groups on their
experiences and perceptions about revival and utility.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 20
Success Factors: Key elements necessary for the successful revival were
identified from analysis of findings of the above-mentioned exercises.
3.3 Salient Features of the Selected Tanks
The sample tanks were selected based on the criteria such as size, location, potential
benefits and purpose. The key features of the water bodies are summarised below.
3.3.1 Present uses : All these tanks were multipurpose tanks with main benefits
derived by the community from included:
• Water for livestock (All 14)
• Groundwater recharge (All 14)
• Fishery, singhada or makhana cultivation (11 tanks)
• Lift irrigation using private pumpsets (9 tanks)
• Drinking and/ or domestic uses (4 tanks)
• Flow irrigation through canal (3 tanks)
Dhigsar Tank, District Damoh
3.3.2 Type of Construction : All tanks selected as sample were constructed in
earthen embankments supported on both sides by walls of coarsely cut stones,
sometimes forming a series of steps or at some other, steep walls. Technically
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 21
speaking, these are neither earth-fill dams nor rock-fill dams, but gravity dams of
composite embankments. The side slope varied from 1:3 to 1:1. Along the length, the
embankments were straight or curved or sometimes angular, but that was perhaps to
accommodate more storage depending upon the site conditions (topography).
3.3.3 Water handling : Most of the tanks were provided with a dug out spillway.
Most of these spillways were constructed in stone masonry or concrete in recent
years (last few decades). One tank (in village Mudara) was found to have a box inlet
spillway, whereas the others were flat crested weirs, commonly called as spillway
bars. Only two tanks were found without a spillway, perhaps because of very little
catchment in relation to their storage capacity.
Photograph of Nivawari Tal, District Tikamgarh
3.4 Technical Problems and Repair Needs
The present status and specific conditions that reduced the usefulness of these tanks
were studied to understand the causal factors. These problems were grouped into
three categories, namely problems related to the tank per se, those related to
catchment (upstream) and those related to water use (downstream). The purpose
was to enlist the possible problems and not to quantitatively assess the degree or
intensity by which they reduce the utility of tanks. These problems were analysed in
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 22
two broad groups of technical problems and the problems related to tank usage,
which were linked to the social or behavioural aspects of the user community.
3.4.1 Problems Associated with the Tank per se
A list of common problems and the possible hazard they pose are listed below.
• Uneven Top: The most common problem with the tanks was settlement in the
embankment or uneven top (undulated top surface). This was due gradual
erosion of embankment over years, and due to lack of upkeep and maintenance.
It does not pose any immediate risk, but occasional dressing would improve its
aesthetic looks.
Sunken Embankment, Angor Tank, District Chhatarpur
• Vegetative growth: In nearly half of the tanks studied, the embankment has
developed growth of shrubs and bushes. Some amount of vegetation, especially
grasses and short bushes are helpful in preventing erosion, but large shrubs on
the upstream surface of embankment tend to increase the porosity as a result of
root action, thus aiding seepage. It is advisable to remove such vegetation
carefully. Vegetation on downstream face of the embankment rarely poses such
hazard and no corrective action is necessary in such cases.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 23
• Damaged Stone Wall: Although this was not observed in any of the tanks
visited (tanks covered under sample study as well as other tanks visited in
course of the study), it was reported as a threat.
• Eroded Spillway: This was a common problem that manifested either as
settlement in parts or erosion of part of the spillway bar. This poses a hazard in
erodible soils (sandy or murrum foundations), and not so much in rocky
foundations. If left unattended, the flowing water may scour the foundation of
abutment wall on either side and may damage the embankment. It also reduces
the storage capacity significantly.
Broken Spillway,Nivawari, District Tikamgarh
• Sluice Gates : Lack of preventive maintenance (such as regular
cleaning and greasing) and misuse (dumping of rubble or other waste) is
the main reason of dysfunctional sluice gates. It results in wastage of
water, if the gate is stuck in open position or if it is leaking. On the
other hand, the farmers lose opportunity to irrigate their fields if it is
stuck in closed position.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 24
Broken Sluice Inlet of Angor Tank, District Chhatarpur
Sluice Inlet of Madan Sagar Tank, District Tikamgarh
• Silt Accumulation : This is a common problem as a result of soil erosion in
the catchment area, which is contributed mainly by deforestation. Certain level
of silt load is expected as a natural phenomenon, but if its magnitude is high or
if its accumulation is left unattended, it would reduce the water storage capacity
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 25
of the tank, thus reducing the benefits accruing to the community. Siltation also
reduces infiltration from the tank bed, thereby reducing the groundwater
recharge.
• Tank-bed Cultivation : This is common problem in all tanks, but it is not a
serious hazard so long as the farming activity is carried out after the tank bed
dried up. However, it may affect the water quality when the chemical use
increases in agriculture, which is reportedly negligible at present. Further, it
cannot always be seen as an encroachment, because some farmers claim that
they were given lease by the Panchayat. Nevertheless, repeated ploughing year
after year is likely to lead to formation of hard pan underneath, which reduces
infiltration, and thereby, the recharge benefits. It needs to be investigated on
case-by-case basis and appropriate corrective measures taken.
Tank Bed Cultivation Simra Khurd, District Tikamgarh
3.4.2 Problems Associated with Catchment (upstream)
A list of common problems on the upstream of the tank and the possible hazards they
pose are as per the follows.
• Soil Erosion : This is a major problem in all catchments resulting in increased
siltation in the tank. It is mainly caused by reduction of tree cover and change in
land use - mainly due to conversion of common grazing lands and pasture into
agriculture. The policy of allotting public lands to individuals for cultivation in
the last three decades is also contributing to soil erosion.
• Reduced Incoming Flows : Construction and other manmade obstacle
(roads, buildings, farming, etc) in the incoming channels reduce the quantity of
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 26
water coming into the tanks This problem was observed as a threat in case of
three sample tanks covered in the study. In case of two tanks, the people
mentioned that construction of new tanks in the upstream (catchment) of the
water body reduced the yield. But, it was not considered as a serious threat
because the intercepted component (storage created) of those new tanks was not
very large.
• Waste Disposal and Effluents : Increased habitation and discharge of
domestic solid and liquid waste, including waste from cattle sheds and manure
dumps, may pose a threat to water bodies located downstream of and close to
dense habitations. While this phenomenon was not observed on a threatening
scale in this study, prevention and safeguards are necessary in fast growing
villages and large habitations. An earlier study by Development Alternatives
(2012) observed presence contaminants like high nitrates and coliform bacteria
in 59 out of 64 drinking water sources in five villages of District Tikamgarh.
3.2.3 Problems Associated with Downstream and Water use Area
These problems could be classified into two - those related to tanks used for flow
irrigation (through canal network), and those related to other tanks. The proportion
of tanks used for flow irrigation is very small (only 146 out of 1117 tanks inventoried).
Common problems related to tanks with flow irrigation are related to the functioning
of canal network.
Irrigation Canal in Village Banauli, District Panna
• Upkeep of Canal Network : Three tanks out of 14 covered in the sample
study had flow irrigation facility. In all the three tanks, the canals were found
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 27
silted up, breached and with vegetative growth. Reportedly, the Gram Panchayat
(or the WRD, in case of large irrigation tanks) undertakes annual cleaning and
repairs of these canals, if the tank is functional. But it is not adequate. Often, the
farmers repair minor breaches at their own efforts and costs.
• Seepage through Canals : Almost all canals of smaller irrigation tanks are
unlined. As most of these canals are constructed in coarse or murrum
formation, seepage through the bed and walls of canal is high. However, farmers
are not unhappy about it because such seepage helps recharge their wells in the
vicinity. This is not a major hazard from the viewpoint of the community, and
even those farmers at the tail end, who receive less water through canals as a
result of seepage losses, are not complaining about it because the recharge
benefits outweigh the reduced supply of irrigation water.
In addition to the above, there are other problems associated with the water usage
which are not purely technical (hydrology or engineering) in nature. Those are also
applicable to tanks not used for flow irrigation. These are clubbed together in the
next section on social and behavioural aspects.
3.4.4 In summary
Main problems identified with the traditional water bodies can be summarised below
(Table 3.3).
Table 3.3 Main Problems Observed
Problems associated with the catchment
Problems associated with the tank per se
Problems associated with the water use are
• Soil erosion and resultant silt
• Reduced inflows
• Effluents and waste disposal
• Settlement in embankment top
• Vegetative growth on embankment
• Damage to stone wall
• Eroded spillway
• Damaged sluice gates or blockage by garbage
• Silt accumulation
• Tank bed cultivation
• Siltation in the canal network
• Damage to canal network
• Seepage through canals
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 28
3.5 Social and Behavioural Aspects of Tank Usage
Usage is an important aspect in tank usage, which significantly affects effectiveness
of the revival interventions and sustainability of the benefits. It refers to how
community responds to their needs in view of availability of water and access to it.
The main aspects are summarised below.
3.5.1 Conflicting Uses : Because water is limited in relation to needs, all
stakeholders would like to maximise their share or access to available water. Thus,
irrigation, fisheries, tank bed cultivation, and aquaculture or cultivation of water
chestnut (singhada) and lotus seed (makhana), are the major uses conflicting with
each other.
• The most common conflict is between the fishing community and farmers.
Increase in lifting of water for irrigation from tanks, coupled with reduction of
dead storage due to siltation, affect the growth of fish and hence the income
from fishing activity.
• Another conflict exists between tank bed cultivators and farmers in command
area. While the tank bed cultivators want the tank water to be emptied rapidly in
order to have more land available for cultivation, the command area farmers
want the water to be released slowly.
• In case of tanks with flow irrigation facility, the conflict is between those who lift
water and those who use water by canal.
• Where that tank is also a source of drinking or domestic water, the concern to
reserve water for these uses is strong.
Community involvement is necessary for resolving these conflicts, and as evident
from SRIJAN’s experience (Shah, Tushar, 2008), resolution of conflicts increases
involvement of community in various aspects of tank management. The management
decisions and their effectiveness depend on the ability of the community to balance
among these conflicting demands. It also affects the cost recovery (water cess
collection), especially in the irrigation tanks.
3.5.2 Inefficient Water Use : It was observed that the farmers have a tendency to
apply excess water to their crops in the initial stages, mainly because of uncertainty
that the water would last until end of the crop season. As a result, all farmers tend to
over irrigate initially, and later, face shortages when water is required at critical
stages of crop growth. This often results in reduced yields. This is mainly because of
the water distribution decisions are made by individual farmers, without any
consultation with each other.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 29
3.5.3 Crop Choice : Most farmers tend to cultivate wheat in winter season in
anticipation of high yield and due to social status attached to the crop. While most of
them are aware of the risks associated (low yield in case of shortage of water at later
stage), and economic disadvantages (low margins), crop choices are often influenced
by popular trend than rationality.
3.5.4 In summary
Main social and behavioural issues identified with the usage of traditional water
bodies can be summarised as per the follows (Box 3.1).
Box 3.1 Social and Behavioural Issues
• Due to imbalance between limited availability of water and growing needs, there are conflicts among various uses - irrigation, fisheries, tank bed cultivation and aquaculture
• Resolution of conflicts increases involvement of community in tank management
• Tendency to use more water, in view of the uncertainty, leads in inefficiencies
• Crop choices by farmers also leads to inefficient use of water
Addressing these issues is the way towards successful tank revival and its
sustainability. The next section discusses and presents a comprehensive strategy for
repair and rejuvenation of traditional water bodies in a sustainable manner.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 30
4. Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation
Based on the findings of the diagnostic study, a strategy for repair and rejuvenation
of traditional water bodies in Bundelkhand region is proposed with a view to restore
their utility in order to meet the local communities’ diverse needs of water and to
strengthen their livelihoods. It covers three main aspects technology, social
considerations and community involvement, and use and management of water
resources after the revival. The focus of this strategy is to establish sustainable
community centred systems of tank rejuvenation and management.
4.1 Overall Strategy
Repair and rejuvenation of the traditional water bodies comprises of four main
stages, namely identification and selection, planning, implementation, and post
revival management. The suggested strategy is presented according to these four
stages. In addition, strategic decisions would be required in the areas of engaging
with the stakeholder and funding arrangements. Strategies for these two areas are
presented at the end of this chapter. Overall strategy for revival of traditional water
bodies is summarised in the following diagram (Fig 4.1) and described in the
following paragraphs.
Fig 4.1 Overall Strategy for Tank Revival
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 31
Repair and rejuvenation of the traditional water bodies may be carried out by a civil
society organisation or a line department or by a special team constituted by the
District Administration. The main roles of such implementing agency would be
facilitation of development processes, community mobilisation, providing techno-
managerial support and capacity building of the community and community
institutions. The institutional arrangements for revival of the traditional water bodies
in a programme mode are discussed later in Section 4.6 below.
4.2 Identification and Selection
Two basic challenges in repair and rejuvenation process are how to identify and
select a traditional water body. It begins with a practical definition and suggests
principles and methods for selection.
4.2.1 Definition : A working definition of a Traditional Water Body in the context
of this initiative is taken as a surface water storage facility for impounding rainwater
and resulting overflows, and broadly speaking comprises of the area under
submergence and structures like bunds, waste-weir, water courses and field channels
etc., built during the Chandela and Bundela era in accordance with then prevalent
technical knowledge and practices. These would essentially include the water bodies
constructed from the 9th to the 19th Century.
4.2.2 Inventory of Traditional Water Bodies : At present, there is no single
compilation of Traditional Water Bodies in Bundelkhand Preparing an exhaustive list
of traditional water bodies of Bundelkhand continues to be a challenge. An attempt
has been made by IGG in this direction by compiling a list of over 1100 traditional
water bodies. This list, which can be downloaded from the website of IGG1, can be
used as a starting point and additions be made by the district administrations or by
any other method approved by the DP&RD. This list is also appended to the
Operational Guidelines for Repair and Rejuvenation of Tradidional Water Bodies.
4.2.3 How to Update the List : While there could be many ways of preparing an
inventory, a pragmatic strategy will be to take a recent satellite imagery, captured at
the end of the rainy season, and superimpose the data from the lists and cadastral
maps available with various departments. The Revenue Department, then, should
validate it on the ground. In case of the traditional water bodies falling in forest land,
it should be done by the Forest Department.
4.2.4 Selection for Revival : Selection of traditional water bodies for repair and
rejuvenation can be done based on two important criteria:
1) That the community around the tank should be interested in its repair and
rejuvenation
2) That the community should be willing to take up the tank management
responsibilities post repair and rejuvenation process.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 32
4.2.5 Prioritisation : While the aim is to revive all traditional water bodies in
Bundelkhand region based on community needs and their interest, some kind of
prioritisation may still be done in terms of time. The strategy for prioritising the
tanks should be based on the following.
Interconnected tanks : Whenever the tanks are connected with each other,
those which are closer to the upper reaches, and having no other traditional water
bodies in their catchment may be taken up for repairs and rejuvenation before
those at lower reaches of the catchment, or those having other tanks in their
catchment.
Multipurpose Tank: It is likely that the entire community is interested in
revival of multipurpose tanks, because the benefits accrue to a wide spectrum of
stakeholders. Single use tanks, if any, may be taken up later if they would benefit
only a small section of the community.
Other criteria : Traditional water bodies totally or relatively free of
encroachment and in villages where community convergent action is a distinct
possibility, should be taken up for rejuvenation first. The tanks with conflicts of
interests among stakeholders may be taken up later, after special efforts for
conflict resolution.
4.3 Planning for Repair and Rejuvenation
4.3.1 Planning Horizon : Planning for repair and rejuvenation of the traditional
water bodies could be done in two ways - one option is to prepare a detailed plan for
complete revival of the tanks in advance, and another is to plan the work in phases.
The process of repair and rejuvenation of tank may take more than a year, and may
throw up newer technical and socio-economic challenges as the work progresses.
Therefore, a telescopic planning process is recommended in this context. A
comprehensive plan (Perspective Plan) should be prepared, which would guide
detailed planning of imminent activities on annual basis (Annual Action Plan). The
Perspective Plan and its components may be modified based on the cumulative
experience of the previous stages or years. The phasing and sequencing of these
activities and interventions is crucial for effective implementation and getting
desired impact. This aspect of phasing is explained in detail in session 6 of the
Guidelines.
4.3.2 Scope : Repair and rejuvenation of traditional water bodies requires two
broad categories of development interventions, namely, physical or technical
components, and social and institution components. The former deals with aspects
related to erosion control, repairs of the tank structure, improvement in water use,
biomass strategies, water management and governance. The latter comprises
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 33
community mobilisation, setting up Tank Management Committee, water use
planning and allocation, monitoring, and establishing sustainable management
systems. Strategy for revival of traditional water bodies calls for these activities to be
carried out in a phased manner as illustrated below (Table 4.1)
Table 4.1 Typical Interventions for Tank Revival
Phase Physical Development Social and Institutional Development
Phase 1 • Catchment treatment for erosion control (area treatment) and repairs of supply channels or feeders
• Silt removal and its application in farmlands
• Repairing the tank structure (embankment, inlet, waste weir, outlet)
• Repairing the canal network
• Promotion of sustainable agriculture
• Formation of Tank Management Committee
• Setting up monitoring systems
• Water use planning and allocation
• Collective crop planning
• Setting up maintenance fund
Phase 2 • Catchment treatment (watershed development: soil water conservation, plantation, gully control)
• Preventive maintenance of structures
• Agricultural interventions with Farming Systems Approach
• Participatory analysis of hydrologic and biomass monitoring data
• Water management rules, based on lessons from monitoring
• Production planning (agriculture, livestock and aquaculture)
• Managing maintenance fund
Phase 3 • Catchment treatment (land use and biomass strategies)
• Sustainable agriculture practices
• Consolidation of the management systems (monitoring, water use and allocation, water governance, financial management)
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 34
4.4 Backward and Forward Linkages
In addition to the repairing of structural components of the tank, repair and
rejuvenation of traditional water bodies entails treatment of catchment area from
where water is coming and efficient and judicious use of water augmented for
sustainable socio-economic development of the communities dependent of these
traditional water bodies. These are referred to as the Backward and Forward
Linkages in tank revival process. The backward linkages will ensure sustained quality
and quantity of water inflows for a long period of time, simultaneously reducing silt
accumulation in the tank. The forward linkages will ensure that the community
continues to draw the socio-economic benefits from the tank system for a long
period.
4.4.1 Backward Linkages : This set of interventions are meant to improve the
quality and increase the quantity of incoming water by reducing silt and other
contaminants therein. It is done by reducing the erosion in the catchment area of the
tank and by reducing the flow velocities through a series of soil water conservation
measures. All these activities are synonymous with integrated watershed
development in the catchment area of these tanks. Prominent backward linkages
suggested as a part of this strategy include:
Area treatment measures like contour trenching and plantation in community wastelands
Farm bunding in cultivated lands with bund plantation
Repairs of supply channels or feeders
Soil water conservation in gullies and streams, with plantation for gully stabilisation
Capability based land use planning in the catchment
Preventive maintenance of structures
Restoration and establishment of green cover on forest and scrub lands
4.4.2 Forward Linkages : These interventions are meant to increase the
production and income of all sections of the community and to ensure that these
benefits continue to accrue for a long period of time without any adverse
consequences to the environment. The concept of sustainable growth is central to the
water use systems in these forward linkages. The main components of the forward
linkages can be as per the follows.
Repair of canal network
Application of silt to improve soil health
Water allocation - reserving water for drinking and domestic uses, fisheries and aquaculture
Collective crop planning for efficient water use
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 35
Agricultural interventions with Farming Systems Approach
Promotion of sustainable agriculture, with low external inputs systems (LEISA)
Management and governance of water resources is an important component of forward linkages. It included the following.
Setting up monitoring systems and participatory analysis of hydrologic and biomass monitoring data
Water management rules and amendment based on monitoring results
Setting up maintenance fund for preventive maintenance of structures
Management and governance through Tank Management Committee
4.5 Participatory Planning Process
Over time, project planning methods have evolved based on an increasing realisation
that this needs to involve a wide range of stakeholders, thus making it more
participatory. It is acknowledged that the accuracy, feasibility and relevance of data
collection improve significantly with participatory processes, especially for pursuing
reliable environmental information for decision-making. The strategy suggests a
participatory process for systematic assessment of the problems and the
community’s needs and expectations from the traditional water bodies. The overall
planning process is depicted in the following diagram (Fig 4.2).
Fig 4.2 Participatory Planning Process
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 36
4.6 Tank Management Committee
Since the community is ultimately responsible for the management of the tank
resources and its benefits in the long run, a community-based, decentralised, cost-
effective and sustainable approach is required in tank repair and rejuvenation. Tank
revival requires a community-based, decentralised, cost-effective and sustainable
approach which would lead to making the community ultimately responsible for the
management of the tank resources and its benefits in the long run.
4.6.1 Community Mobilisation: The process of Community mobilisation
normally comprises four main steps, namely, Seeding the Idea, Participatory
Problem Analysis, Goal Setting, Commitment to Action. Prior to getting into these
systematic steps, preliminary visits to the village, interaction with the Gram
Panchayat representatives and other opinion leaders and interaction with various
stakeholders is necessary in order to prepare for the subsequent steps. Formation of
Tank Management Committee (TMC) is an important milestone in community
mobilisation process.
4.6.2 Tank Management Committee: It is the most important link in the
programme anchoring the development process at the village level. It will be
responsible for planning, implementation and monitoring of repaoir and
rejuvenation interventions and management of water resources in future. The TMC
should be an authority on determining water allocation across different uses and
among different stakeholders, for which they can formulate norms on annual basis,
depending upon water availability at the end of monsoon (October). It should be
responsible for resolution of disputes that may arise at the village level.
A Tank Management Committee shall be constituted by resolution of Gram Sabha
and may comprise of seven to nine members, with at least half of the members being
women. Ideally, it should have at least one representative of each occupational or
user group associated with the tank. The members should represent all geographic
parts of the tank catchment and command (or water use area).
4.6.3 Capacity Building of TMC : In order to effectively carry out the above roles
and responsibilities, it is important to build capacities of TMCs. It is suggested to
prepare a capacity roadmap of TMCs and provide handholding support. Hands on
training is an effective way of capacity building, which could be achieved by assigning
meaningful tasks of progressively increasing complexity to the TMC and provide
handholding support while they carry out those tasks. The capacity building roadmap
can be revisited and revised annually on the experience of the previous year of
project implementation.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 37
4.7 Appraisal and Commitment
It is expected that the government will scale up the work piloted by BIWAL in near
future. For which, implementation may be done by a line department or by a team
constituted by the District Administration. The Bundelkhand Development Authority
is also expected to encourage this work on a large scale. The strategy suggests that
the appraisal and commitment could be as per the follows.
4.7.1 Appraisal : The Perspective Plan for tank repair and rejuvenation should be
prepared by the Tank Management Committee and Implementing Agency in a
participatory manner as suggested above. It should be presented in the Gram Sabha
and approved by the same.
4.7.2 Financing: It is expected that the implementing agency and the TMC shall
secure necessary financial support for the implementation. The District
Administration/ CEO, Zila Panchayat shall ensure that finances are made available
on time to the respective implementing agency and the TMC. Funds can be obtained
under prevailing government schemes or from donors or CSR initiatives of various
corporations. They can follow their respective approval and release procedures.
4.8 Implementation Arrangements
Repair and rejuvenation of traditional water bodies in Bundelkhand Region of
Madhya Pradesh has assumed urgent priority and this needs to be recognised by all
stakeholders. It should preferably be implemented as a region wide programme by
the GoMP. The DP&RD may consider constituting a State Level Technical Committee
and District Level Technical Committees for the revival initiative. A Tank
Management Committee is proposed for the repair rejuvenation and maintenance at
the village level.
4.8.1 Roles and Responsibilities: A three-tier structure is suggested
comprising a State Level Committee, a District Level Committee and a Tank Level
Committee are proposed to be set up. Roles that these committees can be assigned
are summarised in the Table 4.2 below.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 38
Table 4.2 Roles and Functions of Administrative Committees
Committee Roles and Functions
State Level Committee • Formulate policies and guidelines • Annual reviews and evaluation • Knowledge management • Disputes resolution and arbitration
District Level Committee • Selection or constituting of implementing agencies • Joint appraisal and financing • Half-yearly monitoring
Tank Management Committee
• Planning, implementation and monitoring • Quality assurance • Water use planning and governance • Redressal of disputes among local stakeholders
4.8.2 Implementation: Repair and rejuvenation of traditional water bodies
should be carried out by the TMC at the village level. This may require permissions
and No-Objection Certificates (NOCs). The District Administration/ CEO, Zila
Panchayat should facilitate permissions and NOCs from different departments.
4.8.3 Implementing Agency: Tanks have been repaired in the past by different
agencies of the government without first finalising a comprehensive strategy or
mechanism. In the pilot stage of the BIWAL initiative presently underway, the work
of repair and rejuvenation is taken up by CSOs. However, when the initiative scales
up to a region-wide programme, government agencies may well be called upon to
play a major role in implementation.
4.9 Monitoring and Evaluation
4.9.1 Monitoring: Monitoring is an important function to ensure efficacy
and efficiency in operations of tank systems post revival. Monitoring of
rainfall, changes in tank water storage, groundwater and water use is
particularly important, and the monitoring data should be analysed and
interpreted scientifically. A participatory monitoring system will facilitate
effective management in future and lead to sustainability. Participatory
review and analysis of monitoring data will enhance the knowledge resource
of the community and of the administration. The following framework may
be useful in comprehensive monitoring of the tank system.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 39
Table 4.3 Monitoring Framework
S No Monitoring Parameters Frequency Responsibility
1 Hydrology
• Rainfall
• Runoff over waste weir
• Depth of water in tank
• Daily
• Even based
• Fortnightly
• Tank Management Committee
• Periodic review with PFT
2 Tank functions
• Leakage
• Safety of structure
• Periodic review with community
• Event based • Pre- and post-
monsoon • June, Oct, March
• Tank Management Committee
3 Water use and groundwater
• Well inventory and recharge assessment (monthly)
• Water use (flow, lift, recharge and groundwater)
• Flows in canal network (daily when running)
• Crops (area and irrigation)
• Monthly
• Monthly
• Daily when running
• Rabi and summer
• Tank Management Committee
• Review with community (Pre-Rabi and post-Rabi)
4 Production and livelihoods
• Crop production (agriculture, livestock, fishery)
• Irrigation water audit
• End of the season
• End of the season
• Farmer groups/ user groups
• Review by TMC
Participatory monitoring and evaluation is essentially a communication process; it
requires the creation of an information sharing system. Continual review of the
different steps is essential until the system has become fully integrated in the
collaborative monitoring and evaluation process.
4.9.2 Evaluation: Systematic evaluation of the impacts (changes) and processes
are important for quality improvement and efficacy. Three types of evaluations are
proposed in the present initiative of repair and rehabilitation of traditional water
bodies. The findings of these evaluations should be shared with all stakeholders, and
should feed into the knowledge management at the district and state levels.
Evaluation by the funding agency: The funding agency can evaluate the
implementation and its results/ impacts at the end of the repair and
rejuvenation work
Independent Evaluations: Programme level evaluation of the impacts
and processes should be taken up at the mid-term level (say, after 12 to 18
months) and at the end of the project (say, after 3 years). These evaluations
should be done by third party consultants or institutions.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 40
Thematic Evaluations: In addition to the aforementioned programme
evaluations, thematic evaluations or assessment studies may be undertaken
on various aspects like livelihood impacts, gender, equity, sustainability,
institutional strengthening, etc. These evaluations should be done by
independent consultants, academics or institutions.
These aspects are elaborated in detail in section 10 of the Operational Guidleines.
4.10 Addressing Sustainability Concerns
Sustainable management of resources augmented is the foundation to create new
livelihoods and strengthen existing ones by raising productivity of various economic
activities and occupations. Interventions in the water use area (benefitted area) of
the tanks focus on three main areas of managing water efficiently, sustainable
agriculture, and promoting biodiversity and resilience. This section suggests various
ways and means to ensure the sustainability of results through these three main
areas of interventions.
Water Use Efficiency : Agriculture and allied sector will continue to be the
largest user of water post revival, where improving water use efficiency is
necessary for sustainability. Efficiency in water use, which axiomatically
means “more crop per drop”, can be increased with appropriate social and
technical measures, as detailed in Section 11.1 of the Guidelines.
Sustainable Water Use : It refers to getting higher social and economic
benefits from available water on a continued basis without jeopardising future
prospects. Intensive production systems offer immediate production benefits,
but such systems are not environmentally safe and economically viable in the
long run. The strategy recommends sustainable agriculture focussing on long-
term production from crops and livestock while having minimal effects on the
environment. It also focusses on long term economic stability of farms, by
maintaining quality and quantity of soil and water resources.
Links with Biodiversity and Resilience : Resilience, biodiversity and
sustainability are closely interrelated - greater species diversity ensures
natural sustainability for all life forms, simultaneously increasing resilience of
such systems, which is an important factor to cope with the climate change
challenges.
It is expected that these strategies, if implemented systematically, will help in
effective revival of the traditional water bodies and sustainable water use in future.
Strategy for Repair and Rejuvenation of Traditional Water Bodies Page 41
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Acknowledgement
Smt. Gauri Singh, IAS, Former Additional Chief Secretary, Government of MP
Shri Vivek Dave, OSD, Government of MP
Shri K G Vyas, Water Expert and Member, Technical Committee
Shri Mohit Bundas, IAS, District Collector, Chhatarpur
Shri Tarun Rathi, IAS, District Collector, Damoh
Shri Babu Singh Jamod, IAS, District Collector, Datia
Shri Akshay Kumar Singh, IAS, District Collector, Niwari
Shri Karmaveer Sharma, IAS, District Collector Panna
Smt. Harshika Singh, IAS, District Collector, Tikamgarh
Shri Harsh Dixit, IAS, CEO ZP, Chhatarpur
Shri Girish Mishra, IAS, CEO ZP Damoh
Shri Bhagwan Das Jatav, IAS, CEO ZP, Datia
Shri Harshal Pancholi, IAS, CEO ZP, Niwari
Shri Balaguru K., IAS, CEO ZP, Panna
Smt. Neetu Mathur, IAS, CEO ZP, Tikamgarh
Shri Umesh K Sahu, Executive Engineer, RES, Tikamgarh
Shri C S Singh, Additional CEO, ZP, Chhatarpur
Shri Subhash Chandra Dey, DDM NABARD Tikamgarh
Prof. V K Singh, College of Agriculture, Tikamgarh
Shri Vivek Sharma, CARD
Shri Manoj Lakhera, CARD
Shri Gurusharan Singh, CARD
Shri Yogesh Khare, CARD
Shri Sandeep Khanvalkar, Development Alternatives
Shri Awani Mohan Singh, Haritika
Shri Mahendra Singh Sengar, Haritika
Smt. Ankita Raghuvanshi, Haritika
Shri Ajay Bhan Singh, HUF
Shri Prassana Khemariya, SRIJAN
Smt. Stutilina Pal, SRIJAN
Shri Ashish Ambasta, SRIJAN
Shri Rakesh Kumar Singh, SRIJAN
Shri Kamlesh Kurmi, SRIJAN
Smt. Shrishti Kushwaha, SRIJAN
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