Browsing by Author "Chandrappagari, Suvarna"

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High Use Value Common Resource for Equity and Sustainability: The Experience of Groundwater Regulation and Management from Andhra Pradesh, India
(2013) Chandrappagari, Suvarna
"Groundwater has the attributes of extremely high use value common resource with feasibility for private access. In India, groundwater is treated as de facto private property since land and water rights are linked as per Indian Easements Act of 1882, hence often resulting in over exploitation and inequity in its access. The Andhra Pradesh (AP) state with about 900 mm average annual rain fall and 85% of the area underlain by hard rock formations has 143 over-exploited and critical ground water assessment units out of 1229 as per 2008-2009 assessment for groundwater estimation. Groundwater irrigated area crossed 50 per cent of the total irrigated area. Competitive drilling of bore wells at closer spacing led to well interference, failure of functional wells, lowered yields and groundwater over-extraction. Moreover, social equity issues in accessing and utilizing groundwater water became a major concern for the state. The paper discusses the ground water situation in India with special reference to Andhra Pradesh, existing and proposed legal provisions, policy issues, possibility for collective action, experience of implementing various participatory groundwater management practices by the state and NGOs with special focus on comprehensive land development programme with focus on equity issues, and the outcomes arising out of the experience. Information available with the state government, third party evaluation studies and other sources of literature are used for analyzing the relevant details. The paper concludes that as long as water rights are linked to land, sharing and networking of wells through coordinated participatory groundwater management by combining social and formal regulations besides building capacities of farmers is the best option to achieve equity. The paper strongly recommends for revisiting the legal systems also keeping the sustainability and long term implications in view."
Restoration of Common Lands for Enhancing Livelihoods of Rural Communities: A Case Study of GO-NGO Collaboration in Andhra Pradesh, India
(2011) Chandrappagari, Suvarna; Dyda, Venkataraj
"Common Property Resources (CPRs) are considered to be important life support systems for the rural economy affecting agriculture, livestock and various other livelihoods of communities. Grazing on the commons is crucial to the viability of most of the small and marginal holders in rain-fed farming systems across Andhra Pradesh (AP). However, production as well as productivity of the CPRs is declining in the state due to excessive exploitation of natural resources and poor management practices. More over, the very existence of CPRs is under threat due to lack of comprehensive policy on their management with no specific rights or responsibilities assigned to the communities and encroachments. In the above context, a collaborative arrangement between the Rural Development Department of Government of Andhra Pradesh and NGO networks was established for strengthening the efforts to conserve, develop and protect common lands through community involvement in two districts; Anantapur and Chittoor under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS). This paper discusses about the processes involved in the collaboration, community organization, strengthening the Village Institutions, natural resources development (NRM) and livelihoods enhancement. The outcome shows that there has been an encouraging community participation in planning and execution of CPR plans besides establishing inter phase between CPRs and livelihoods though there is a need for bringing convergence with other line departments involved in rural development."