What Ails Irrigation Projects In State? Not giving ear to WUAs hits upkeep of schemes

GUWAHATI, Sept 15: This is a hard fact that most of the irrigation projects in Assam have gone to wrack and ruin. Among the whole lot of reasons behind it, two immediate reasons are lack of proper upkeep of the projects and the department not keeping in touch with water users’ associations (WUAs).

There are as many as 1,433 water users’ associations – 827 registered and 606 unregistered ones – in the State. Most of the problems in the irrigation projects in the State stem from lack of their timely and proper upkeep. This happens despite the presence of as many as 1,433 WUAs which have been entrusted with upkeep of such projects. In order to reduce the gap between irrigation potential created and its utilization, more emphasis has been laid on Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) where the farmers take part in the irrigation management system. Under the PIM system, WUAs have been formed within the command areas of government irrigation schemes with a view to handing over such schemes to WUAs to upkeep and maintain for equitable distribution of water. However, the ground reality in Assam is such that even as WAUs take the responsibility of upkeep of the projects, the State Irrigation Department bothers the least to bear the cost of maintenance. In fact, the communication between the department and WUAs has been snapped with, as some WUAs allege, the former not willing to keep in touch with them.

Apart from upkeep of irrigation projects, the onus of maintaining smooth water distribution and collection of charges lies with the WUAs. According to a member of a WUA in Kamrup (M) district, the WUAs do their duty – both maintenance, equitable distribution of water and collection of charges. “However, when we approach the department for repair of any defects in the projects, they seldom give ear to us. The situation has come to such a pass that as if we’re here to collect the charges only. There has been a wide gap between us and the department and such gaps are wider in other districts that are away from the State capital,” the member said, and added: “Registration is also a major problem for the WUAs, especially in districts that are away from Dispur. The registration of WUAs should be done by the department itself. We also want that the Assam Irrigation Water Users’ Act, 2004 has to be amended so as to give WUAs more autonomy.”

The department has as many as 3,033 irrigation projects/schemes. While 1,632 projects have been completed, 1,401 projects are ongoing. The amazing fact is the abysmally large number of projects lying idle. Of the 1,632 complete irrigation projects, 446 are fully operative, 764 are partially operative, 215 are inoperative but reparable and 207 are beyond repair. Of the 1,401 ongoing projects, 387 are partially operative, 77 are inoperative but reparable, 162 are beyond repair and in 755 projects no potential has been created as yet.