Traditional vs. Formal Institutions in Managing Common Pool Resources: A Case Study of Traditional Drinking Water System 'Oornin' in Ramnathpuram District, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

"Ramnathapuram, a coastal district in the peninsula -India faces acute drinking water shortage due to salinity of the ground water on one hand and low erratic rainfall (500-700 mm) on the other. Traditionally people in this region used to collect the rain water in 'Oorni' for household purpose and for the cattle. Oorni is a shallow pond like structure, the clay soil of the area neither allows the water in the Ooorni to percolate down nor does it permit the saline ground water to mix up with the Oorni water. Normally, a village has two types of Oorni: the first one is used only for drinking water/cooking purpose and the second for bathing, washing and for animals. In a village there can be at times only one (used as multipurpose) or six to seven Oornies depending on the population, availability of land etc. Traditionally, water is cleaned for drinking as follows. The water is first collected in an earthen pot (no other material other than earthen pots can be used for this purpose) and then a seed which is locally called 'Tathamkottai' is rubbed inside the rough edge of the earthen pot in a rhythmical manner making the water clear allowing the sediment to settle down."