The Relevance of River Basin Approach for Coordinated Land and Water Conservation and Management

Abstract

The historical evolution of the concept of the river basin development, in general, and in particular reference to India, is briefly traced in the introduction. The basis of river basin development in India, particularly since 1947, is then rapidly described as a key concept in regional development both in agriculture and industry. The Damodar Valley Corporation is cited as an example. Then a number of conflict situations are outlined --- conflicts of a regional nature, important upstream modifications having downstream repercussions; work on one bank affecting the other bank etc. The nature of the functional conflicts are briefly alluded. The limitations of the river basin approach are seen against the recent emergence of an approach of inter basin transfer of water. Details are described of a national perspective recently evolved by Government of India. In conclusions, it is pointed out that while a strict river basin approach is not now found entirely possible, necessitating a consideration of interbasin transfer of water, at the same time it cannot be stated that the concept is out-dated because the basis for the determination of the possibilities of large scale transfer of water from one `surplus' region to another `deficit' region is in itself dependent on the river basin approach.