[Dalit History Month] India's Forgotten Water Hero: Ambedkar's Thoughtful Approach to Water Management and It's Relevance Today

Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, made significant contributions in various fields such as law, economics, social justice, and politics. However, his contributions in the field of water policy are often overlooked.

Babasaheb played a vital role in formulating and implementing water policies in India, and his contributions have been invaluable in developing the water infrastructure of our country. As a member of the Executive Council of the Viceroy, he played a crucial role in conceptualizing several significant projects such as the Damodar Valley Project, the Hirakud Multipurpose Project, and the Sone Valley Project.

Furthermore, his visionary policies and recommendations for the planned utilization and management of water resources led to the formulation of the Inter-State Water Disputes Act, 1956, and the River Boards Act, 1956.

It is essential to recognize Babasaheb's contribution in shaping India's water policies and how it has positively impacted the country's socio-economic development.

Babasaheb was a strong advocate of water conservation and management. He believed that water was a critical resource that needed to be managed efficiently to ensure the equitable distribution of water amongst all sections of society, especially the marginalized and disadvantaged communities.

Some of the key principles of Dr. Ambedkar's water policy were:

1. Water as a Common Resource: Dr. Ambedkar believed that water was a common resource that belonged to all citizens of India, and it was the state's responsibility to ensure that water was distributed equitably among all sections of society.

2. Importance of Water Conservation: Dr. Ambedkar emphasized the need for water conservation and management. He believed that water conservation was essential to ensure sustainable development and that water resources should be managed in a way that maximizes their benefits.

3. Focus on Irrigation: Dr. Ambedkar believed that irrigation was essential for agricultural development and advocated for the construction of large dams and canals to ensure water availability for irrigation purposes.

4. Involvement of Local Communities: Dr. Ambedkar believed that local communities should be involved in the management of water resources. He advocated for the establishment of water user associations to ensure the participation of local communities in water management.

5. Multipurpose Use of Water: Dr. Ambedkar had a very holistic view on the problem of flooding and advised harnessing the situation. He observed that "if the conservation of water was mandatory from the point of view of public good, then obviously, the plan of embankments was a wrong plan. It was a means which does not subserve the end, namely, conservation of water and must, therefore, be abandoned." The appropriate method, according to him, was to follow the approach adopted by some developed countries, that is, "to dam rivers at various points to conserve water permanently in reservoirs" and put it to multipurpose use. Such reservoirs, besides irrigation, could be used for generating electric power and navigation.

Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar played a crucial role in the conceptualization of several significant projects as a Member (Labour) in the executive council of the Viceroy. Some of these projects include:

1. Damodar Valley Project: It was the first multipurpose river valley project in India in 1944, formulated on the lines of the Tennessee Valley Authority of the USA. Babasaheb was a part of this project until 1946 when the Damodar Development Corporation took over. In the first Damodar Valley Project Conference in Calcutta in January 1944, Dr. Ambedkar opined that "there has not been enough realization that our policy for water resource development must be a multipurpose policy that includes all possible uses of water. The Damodar project must be a multipurpose project... it should not only deal with the problem caused by floods, but it should also provide for irrigation, electricity, and navigation."

2. Hirakud Multipurpose Project: The Hirakud Dam is built across the Mahanadi River, about 15 kilometers from Sambalpur, in the state of Odisha in India. It is the highest gravity dam in India.

3. Sone Valley project: Dr. Ambedkar also played a formative role in the development of the Sone Valley project.

4. Establishment of Central Water Commission: The Central Water Commission is a premier Technical institution in India that functions under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. It was instituted as The Central Water, Irrigation, and Navigation Commission in 1945 at the recommendation of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, who was then a member (Labour) of Viceroy’s Executive Council. Dr. Ambedkar asserted that there was a need for a technical body at the center to efficiently utilize the water resources of the country.

M. S. Reddy, Chairman of the Central Water Commission, while releasing the volume on Ambedkar's contribution to Water Resources Development, remarked that Ambedkar was responsible for:

1. Creating the Central Waterways, Irrigation and Water Commission and the Central Technical Power Board, now known as the Central Electricity Authority, as the administrative apparatus and technical bodies at the Center to assist the states in the development of irrigation and electric power, respectively.

2. Introducing the concept of River Valley Authority or Corporation for the integrated development of the rivers in the regions.

3. Initiating some important present-day river valley projects, particularly in Damodar, Sone, and Mahanadi river basins.

4. Introducing the concept of multipurpose development of the river valley basin for the first time in India, amending entry "74" in the Constitution, bringing part of it to the Union List, and introducing Article 262 regarding the adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-state rivers or river valley.

Before independence, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar managed to bring all the provinces into agreement for a pan-India perspective for the planned utilization and management of their water resources. He emphasized that water resources were closely related to the development of the country as a whole.

Article 262, which is related to the adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-State rivers or river valleys, has been crafted around the views of Babasaheb Ambedkar. Subsequently, in adherence to these provisions, the Parliament enacted the Inter-State Water Disputes Act, 1956, and the River Boards Act, 1956.

It can be said that Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar played a crucial role in formulating the water policy in India, but some vested interests have undermined his contribution.

PM Modi terms Ambedkar as the architect of the water and river navigation policy in India.

In 2016, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was navigating through the aftermath of the setbacks it had faced in the Bihar and Delhi elections. The party was preparing for the crucial elections in Uttar Pradesh, which were to be held the following year. The BJP was keen on wooing the Dalit Votes held by the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party.

On 14th April 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was addressing the Maritime Investment Summit in Mumbai. He praised Babasaheb Ambedkar's contributions to water management in India, highlighting that Babasaheb had created two powerful institutions related to water, navigation, and power. They were the Central Waterways, Irrigation and Navigation Commission and the Central Technical Power Board. PM Modi added that Dr. Ambedkar was the architect of the water and river navigation policy in India.

PM Modi went on to say that the development of National Waterways was in line with Babasaheb's vision and emphasized the importance of a new waterways policy to lay the foundation for the regime of prosperity for millions of poor Indians. On the same day, a commemorative volume entitled "Ambedkar's Contribution to Water Resources Development", originally published in 1993, was reissued by the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation.

Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Indian Constitution, firmly believed in water conservation and management. He realized it was necessary to manage water resources efficiently to ensure its equitable distribution among all sections of society, especially marginalized and disadvantaged communities. Babasaheb's contributions to India's water policy have been substantial, and his vision and foresight have inspired several policy measures to manage water resources effectively.

Acknowledging his contributions:

1. "Dr. Ambedkar holds the key to the present government's ambitious Namami Gange project." - Sadhguru said in an interview with ANI on 14th April 2021.

2. "Babasaheb Ambedkar will always remain an icon for his contributions not only to the Constitution but also to issues related to water management." - Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways said during a speech at the India Water Week conference in September 2017.

3. "Baba Saheb laid a strong foundation for water resources development in the country. His contribution to the various waterways, irrigation, and navigation services will always be remembered." - Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Jal Shakti said during a virtual event organized by CII on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti on 14th April 2021.

4. "Babasaheb's vision for water conservation and management is particularly relevant in today's context, where we face a severe water crisis. India needs to prioritize water management to ensure sustainable and equitable water consumption." - Kiran Bedi, Former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry said during a speech at the 5th Water Innovation Summit in November 2016.

5. "Babasaheb's contribution to India's water said during a speech at the 5th Water Innovation Summit in November 2016 policy is invaluable. His emphasis on managing water resources efficiently and equitably is crucial for India's sustainable growth." - Devendra Fadnavis, Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra said during the inauguration of a water therapy plant in Nagpur in January 2018.