Water Users Association and Irrigation Management - Institute for ...
Water Users Association and Irrigation Management - Institute for ...
Water Users Association and Irrigation Management - Institute for ...
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I<br />
by the agency <strong>and</strong> consequent undependable supply of water <strong>for</strong> irrigation. There is<br />
corruption in the award <strong>and</strong> execution of construction contracts <strong>and</strong> they expressed that<br />
they cannot in fairness be expected to pay <strong>for</strong> those costs. Fanners who paid water charges<br />
on time complained about the preferential treatment showed by the agency towards certain<br />
fanners. The agency-managed system does not provide efficiency in services, there<strong>for</strong>e the<br />
water charges recovery is poor.<br />
While the need <strong>and</strong> importance of charging appropriate fees <strong>for</strong> irrigation water supply is<br />
recognized, more often. the pricing policies <strong>and</strong> structures are not commensurate with the<br />
level of services it provides. <strong>Water</strong> pricing frequently does not go h<strong>and</strong> in h<strong>and</strong> with the<br />
improvement <strong>and</strong> maintenance of the irrigation system, <strong>and</strong> the reluctance to pay even the<br />
low water rates is rooted in the mistrust between the fanner <strong>and</strong> the agency. Very often, the<br />
costs of collection of water charges are higher than the total fee collected (Bhatia 1989).<br />
Fanners will pay more if the service is timely, adequate <strong>and</strong> dependable.<br />
In Hagedal, fanners under-report the total area irrigated, in connivance with local officials.<br />
Hence illegal appropriation of water <strong>and</strong> unauthorized cultivation is quite common in the<br />
village. especially by those who are favorably placed, either because of their advantageous<br />
location or power. Moreover, fanners pay water charges according to the localization<br />
pattern. So many a time fanners pay less water charges due to a violation of the cropping<br />
pattern <strong>and</strong> unauthorized cultivation. Subsidized or almost free availability of water supply<br />
has been an important factor in the overuse of surface water <strong>for</strong> crop production in<br />
developing countries (Piementel & Greiner 1997). Furthennore, lack of disincentives <strong>for</strong><br />
over using water has contributed to wastage of water which has resulted in soil degradation.<br />
Women's Participation<br />
It is generally believed that male domination prevails in managing irrigation systems. Some<br />
studies in African (Jones 1986; Zwarteveen & Neupane 1996) <strong>and</strong> Asian (Hart 1992;<br />
Zwarteveen 1997) systems had addressed the issues related to women's participation in<br />
irrigation policies, planning <strong>and</strong> design. An attempt has been made to examine the role of<br />
women in irrigation management in our sample villages.<br />
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