Local responses to too much and too little water in the greater Himalayan region
Table 2: Basic characteristics of the study sites
Village, district Location relative to the Accessibility before and during Water-related Stresses
embankment and river the rains
Chandrain, 0-2 km outside the left Accessible by all-weather Waterlogging; not completely recovered from
Saharsa district embankment roads; road condition bad sand deposition due to 1984 embankment
breach; fields within embankments suffer
from massive and widespread sand deposits;
villagers live in fear of embankment breach
Dhamara, Between embankment and river Accessible only by boat; boat River floods and erosion; village lives in
Saharsa on island between two channels service bad constant fear of embankment breach
of Koshi
Tilathi, Saharsa 0-2 km outside the western Accessible by all-weather Severe waterlogging
embankment roads; road conditions bad
Sarsauwa, Not protected by any Accessible only by boat and Erosion and river floods; lack of
Khagaria embankment, riverine site rail; problems transporting transportation
district between the Koshi and Bagmati agricultural produce
rivers
Rahuamani, 8-10 km from embankment and Accessible by all-weather roads Canal not working for last few years
Saharsa in the command area of the
Koshi canal
Agriculture – Despite sluggish growth in agriculture, are not an important livelihood option in this region;
most of the workforce is employed in this sector. There even the fishing community, the Mallahs, have moved to
are four cropping seasons in the study area. Maize, other occupations for their livelihood.
millet, and paddy rice are the main crops grown
during the hot months (May-June) paddy rice is the
only crop grown during the early monsoon (June-July).
Impacts of Water Stress and Hazards
The main crops grown during the winter (November-
The impacts of floods and droughts on the changing
March) are wheat, legumes, lentils, mustard, potato,
landscape, and the increasing intensity and prolonged
and vegetables. Extensive areas in all villages are
nature of the floods on the general well-being of the
cultivated with maize, pulses, and vegetables in the hot
people have been immense. Increased waterlogging,
pre-monsoon season – sown in February-March and
sand deposition, and soil erosion have affected people’s
harvested in May and June.
livelihoods, especially related to agriculture.
Migration for employment – Migration has become a
The impacts have been different in the four different
way of life and an important livelihood option for many
zones that emerged after the construction of the
people, except in Rahuamani. Migration in most cases
embankments – zones trapped between the
is temporary; people migrate during the lean agricultural
months. Most migrate to the agriculturally dynamic
regions of north-west India and to urban and industrial
In some areas in Bihar high iron content causes damage to teeth.
sites for jobs. The majority work as labourers; those with
some education or skills land in better jobs. Depending
on duration of migration, remittances constitute about
one-third to two-thirds of household income.
Animal husbandry – The dairy business is not an
important source of livelihood in the study villages,
except in Rahuamani, which is close to a town, and
Sarsauwa, which has a long tradition of cattle rearing.
Poor women in all the villages raise small ruminants,
mostly goats, to supplement household income. Fisheries
35
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