SIPU-KANTIWADA BANDH BANASKANTHA GUJARAT
Banas is the main river in Banaskantha, on the banks of which has flourished an entire culture. Dantiwada and Sipu were two dams constructed on the river Banas. It has been 25 years since then. The kind of effect the dams would have on the villages downstream had not been a concern then. Water in the wells of these villages dried up gradually. The river water drains off into the Rann of Kutchch. Because of inundation so much water used to flow into the farms earlier [before the dams] that in one season itself the crop yield was enough to last 3 years. One of the villages was in fact called Paydaishpura because of the abundant yield. But now because of the two dams, the flow of water has been obstructed, the wells have dried up, crop yields have fallen. Drinking water has become scarce. With the help of the Netherlands government a 70 km long pipeline was put to provide water to downstream villages. During the 1986-87 drought there was no water even through the pipeline. Trenches were dug in the river to get water. In the morning women would take a pot, dig the ground for water and wait 5-6 hours for water. The uncertainty was acute and so was the scarcity. Women would scoop out water with katoris (bowls). They would have to walk 4-6 kms for 1-1½ potful of water. Sometimes they would slip and fall in the silt, injuring their hands, legs or backs…A Lok Samiti was formed, comprising 120 villages. We filed a writ petition for riparian rights. We struggled against the sarkar. As a result, the construction of the canal was stopped. Instead of diverting the waters it was decided to allow it to flow into the river itself. Negotiations also brought another decision: enough water would be released to fulfil the requirements of even the last village downstream of the dam. And if the monsoons fail as much water as the villages required would be released. But the problem is that we have to go to the authorities every year, 50-60 of us, to remind them to release the water…