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economics of on-farm development - Institute for Social and ...

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een the highest in Kallada project at 5666 per cent against escalati<strong>on</strong> in capital<br />

expenditure, ie., 3148 per cent. In the case <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Pamba irrigati<strong>on</strong> project. the<br />

escalati<strong>on</strong> in revenue expenditure has been 4171 per cent compared to 1432 per<br />

cent escalati<strong>on</strong> in capital expenditure. Only in the case <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Kakkadavu irrigati<strong>on</strong><br />

project that the capital expenditure exceeded revenue expenditure by more than<br />

three times. Thus, the disproporti<strong>on</strong>ate increase in revenue expenditure might<br />

have affected the actual <strong>development</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> irrigati<strong>on</strong> potential.<br />

The negative externalities in terms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> adverse effects <strong>on</strong> soli like<br />

waterlogging, salinity <strong>and</strong> alkalinity have been widely reported in some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the<br />

irrigati<strong>on</strong> projects. A realistic estimate <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the envir<strong>on</strong>mental problems are yet to<br />

be made. These problems not <strong>on</strong>ly make the l<strong>and</strong> unfit <strong>for</strong> cultivati<strong>on</strong> but also<br />

entail huge cost <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> reclamati<strong>on</strong>. For instance, in the Kuttiadi comm<strong>and</strong> area,<br />

about 64 per cent <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the original ayacut <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 14568.70 ha. has been degraded <strong>and</strong><br />

became less productive. Timely measures to reclaim could have saved about 41<br />

per cent <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the comm<strong>and</strong> area which has been degraded. The waterlogged area<br />

unfit <strong>for</strong> irrigati<strong>on</strong> has been 19.46 per cent, followed by area left unirrigated due<br />

to lack <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> field channels (2.6 %) <strong>and</strong> unec<strong>on</strong>omic holdings (1.16%).<br />

Sedimentati<strong>on</strong> problems have also been found in some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the reservoirs.<br />

For instance, the original capacity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Malampuzha reservoir was 228.40<br />

milli<strong>on</strong> cU.m, according to the project report, which, later<strong>on</strong>, has declined to<br />

220.15 milli<strong>on</strong> cU.m as a result <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> sedimentati<strong>on</strong>. In Peechi, average annual<br />

sedimentati<strong>on</strong> rate has been 0.91 per cent, higher than that <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the sedimentati<strong>on</strong><br />

rate <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 0.25 per cent found in Malampuzha project.<br />

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