Canal Irrigation under Godavari and Kistna Anicuts (original) (raw)

1997, ITIHAS: Journal of The Andhra Pradesh State Archives and Research Institute

The construction of anicuts in Godavary and Kistna districts were made after a long debate. The revenue officials argued that the exnenditure incurred on the projects cannot be recovered by the mere increased revenue demand. Whereas, the irrigational engineers, under Col, Arthur Cotton (later Sir Arthur Cotton) vigorously supported the construction of anicuts and showed the profits on the capital investment in the anicuts. Convinced with the arguments of Col. Cotton, the colo nial state had executed the two anicuts on Godavary and Kistna rivers by 1852 and 1855 respectively. Despite the heavy water rates, the land under these irrigational systems had increased rapidly. For instance, under the Kistna anicut, the area under irrigation had increased from 18,966 acres in 1855-56 to 264,256 aCres in 1875-76. These anicuts undoubtedly altered the production structure in the region. It was not only a source of revenue but also a source of food and contentment to 4 the people, and a prevention of famine. Nonetheless there were also certain disadvantages of the canal irrigation in the Kistna and Godavari deltas. Some of these were natural and some were due to the ineffective management of colonial government. In this paper an attempt has been made to show some of the disadvantages of the canal irrigation under Godavary and Kistna anicuts. Elizabeth Whitcombe, in her study on North Western province and Oudh mentioned several disadvantages of the canal irrigation. In that region due to the introduction of the canal irrigation certain changes Were brought in: well irrigation was abandoned, natural drainage was enected, fields were freauently flooded the problems of uncertainty in