Reviving Traditional water management practices or constructing more modern-day dams to tackle water scarcity – A dilemma for Bihar.
From Indian perspective
India is facing major water scarcity, which is challenging its food security. There is constant debate on whether to build more big dams to tackle the issue or go back to centuries-old traditional water management practices. Megaprojects like the Interlinking of rivers and the building of big dams did one thing in common, they made people shy away from century-old cost-effective traditional water management techniques. These megaprojects come up with displacement of tribals and other indigenous communities, and loss of biodiversity, and livelihoods, but managed to project themselves as a solution to India's ongoing water scarcity.
Bihar’s ongoing water crisis
At least eight of the 38 districts in the Bihar have significantly low groundwater levels, according to an assessment by the state's Public Health Engineering Department (PHED). According to the same assessment, at least 11 of the districts fall under the "water-stressed" category.
According to a different survey, the government owns almost one-fourth of the water bodies in the Ganga basin, and they have all dried up. While just 56 percent of the water bodies in the area were functioning, the survey conducted by the Quality Council of India (QCI) in collaboration with ASSOCHAM, CII, and FICCI found that 16% of the water bodies in the area were eutrophic. It examined 578 water bodies in the Ganga Basin and discovered that 411 were encircled by populated areas.
Ahar pynes in Bihar (Traditional water harvesting structure)
Bihari farmers created the ahar-pynes agricultural method to adjust to the unpredictability of the climate in the area. The concept involves digging channels (called pynes) into the ground that allow water to flow while having high embankments on either side. Small retention ponds (called ahars) that are used to catch extra water are dotted around the waterway. The system's architecture has two functions: it retains water during droughts and drains water during floods.
Figure: Ahar Pyne system of Bihar
The benefits of ahar pynes
On the edges of the channel and around the ponds, crop-yielding patties can be planted thanks to the system. When the technology is used properly, farmers may be able to grow two crops per year, enhancing food security and generating additional revenue. These systems were managed by the community, and there was a sense of ownership that existed within these ecologically safe traditional water systems. The major stakeholders were people involved in decision-making in the system. The zamindars were primarily in charge of these.
The neglect of ahar pynes
There was a decline in these systems because of lack of funding, management change after India's independence, abolishment of zamindari, or negligence and abandonment. In contrast, unlike big dams and interlinking of rivers, these systems did not displace communities, harm flora, and fauna, or affect livelihoods. However, in the past, they helped the communities endure water stress and droughts.
The drawback of ahar pynes
even though they can, in part, alleviate the existing water shortage in Bihar. We cannot ignore the reality that they depend on "rainfall," and the ensuing three dry seasons can render these buildings utterly dry and unable to store water for irrigation.
The benefits of modern-day dams
Megaprojects like dams, meanwhile, guarantee water supplies all year round, even during successive drought seasons. They do not dry up following consecutive dry seasons.
Figure: The dam
Image source: The splash.
The drawbacks of the dam.
· Damming and flooding river basins have resulted in many environmental issues.
· Big dam has led to local and indigenous people displacement.
· Fish community alteration and the disappearance of commercial fishery practices are all well-known global impacts of Big Dams
· Loss of biodiversity, loss of natural and agricultural terrestrial ecosystems.
· Emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, particularly methane.
Even when people and social activists object to the building of dams and the idea of interlinking rivers, we can see massive dam construction ongoing and politicians and policymakers projecting interlinking rivers as the solution to water scarcity, especially in water deficit areas.
A balance between traditional harvesting structures and modern projects
Having seen the advantages and disadvantages of both traditional water systems (such as the ahar pynes in Bihar) and megaprojects, we can assume that we do not have to completely disregard the two; rather, with all of their advantages and disadvantages, these two methods are crucial for Bihar to fight ongoing water scarcity.
Reference:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahar_Pyne
2. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/water/bihar-staring-at-water-crisis-in-summer-months-with-groundwater-levels-declining-76174#:~:text=Published%3A%20Friday%2026%20March%202021,'%20category%2C%20the%20report%20said.
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