Large Dams and Developmental Dilemma: Watershed Management and Sustainable Livelihood Practices in Rim Areas of Tehri Dam, Uttarakhand, India

The big and multipurpose dams are often epitomised as panacea for resurgent India. Today, 70 years post-independence, the credibility of mega dams seems questionable, given the developmental dilemma and environmental concerns associated with them. The establishment of the 1000 MW Tehri hydropower project has transformed the land use dynamics in its vicinity, submerging hectares of land and displacing thousands of people. Although many villages in its immediate vicinity were rehabilitated, the 72 partially submerged villages were left stranded in isolation with fragmented socio-economic and natural systems. The degradation of natural resources has had a direct impact on the livelihoods of the local indigenous communities of the area, compelling them to migrate. Over the years, as part of resilience and capacity building initiatives the villages have adapted to various natural resource management practices to resuscitate their degraded land water systems and socio-economic base. The study intends to analyse the developmental dilemma of local inhabitants, 15 years post construction of the Tehri Dam, especially pertaining to water scarcity, its availability and accessibility. It also intends to document the ongoing diverse watershed management practices in the region highlighting their role in improving the livelihoods conditions of the local communities. Appropriate management of water channels in the area is considered imperative to address the ongoing issue of land slumping and siltation in the Tehri reservoir. Both primary and secondary data sets are analysed using SPSS 20.0, based on stratified random sampling method. Land use/land cover assessment has been conducted on GIS Platform (QGIS) using Landsat satellite imageries datasets of 2000, 2009 and 2019. The study highlights successful application of diverse structural and non-structural water conservation measures in restoring 20–25 hectares of degraded land through watershed management practices in the two prominent micro-watersheds of the area. The reclaimed land is presently utilised for expanding alternative agricultural practices and diversifying livelihood opportunities for marginalised mountain communities in the region.