Community Water Management - The Story of the ‘Arvari River Parliament’: India

In India, there have been numerous successful examples, from all parts of the country, of successful community water management, many of which have revived sustainable traditional or indigenous practices, such as the Johads of Rajasthan, the tanks of Tamil Nadu, the Naulas (water springs) and gools (channels) of Uttaranchal and the pokhars (village ponds) of West Bengal. One such example is that of the Arvari River Parliament.

In 1985 – 86, unusually low rainfall and excessive logging lead to the worst droughts in history in Rajasthan and the district of Alwar, one of the poorest districts in the state, was badly affected. The groundwater table had receded below the critical level and the state declared parts of the area ‘dark zones’, meaning that the situation was so severe as to warrant a restriction on any further extraction of groundwater.

A tribal elder suggested to Tarun Bharat Sangh, a local non-governmental organisation, that it could alleviate the situation by reviving traditional water harvesting systems to solve the water problems of the villages. He explained the rich tradition of building Johads in the region, which were created by simple inexpensive traditional technology. Johads are earthen check dams that catch and conserve rainwater, leading to improved percolation and groundwater recharge.

Beginning with Gopalpura village in 1985, Tarun Bharat Sangh played a leadership, catalytic role and acted as a facilitator in building 6000 Johads and rejuvenating 2500 old structures with the help of village communities in 1058 villages.

The return of water to the villages brought many benefits. Young people who had migrated out in search of jobs, returned back to agriculture in their villages; women who had previously spent most of their day fetching water could tend to the housework, while children could go to school. Water brought life back to the area and started attracting far more migratory birds. As a result of the construction of 350 Johads in the river catchments, from 1996 onwards the Arvari river, previously a monsoon drain, began to flow to its full capacity. It soon became perennial.

With the revival of the river, aquatic life prospered and there was natural growth of the fish population. As a result, the government gave the contract for catching fish to a private party. The people of the region, whose hard work had revived the river, resisted this move, suspecting that the government may try and take control of the whole river.

The conflict arising from this issue prompted the development, by the communities in the region, of a long-term dispute resolution mechanism - the formation, in 1999, of the Arvari River Parliament.

The Parliament, with 2 representatives each from 72 villages, has framed 11 rules with regard to the use of the river waters, relating to all aspects of water management, from the extraction or selling of water from the river, to the revival of traditional methods of water conservation. A coordination committee comprising members selected by the Parliament handles the operations and ensures compliance with the rules.

The Arvari Parliament meets on a regular basis and has been successful in resolving conflicts and safeguarding the water resources. Though this ‘river parliament’ has no legal status and its decisions are not legally binding, the moral force of the people makes its survival possible. The workers of Tarun Bharat Sangh have served as facilitators. The success of the Parliament has been a result of the efforts of every member of the local community, each having contributed to the safety and maintenance of local resources.

Tarun Bharat Sangh is currently in the process of developing a legal strategy for Johad management to give teeth to the rules promulgated by the Arvari Parliament. This effort will require the formal support of the legislature to make it meaningful.