The state of irrigation in colonial tamilnadu 1800 to 1850

Abstract

Irrigation plays a vital role in Agriculture. It assumes paramount newlineimportance in our country as agriculture continues to be the occupation of about 65% newlineof the population of the country. Cholas were the great builders; builders not only of newlinecities and temples but also of useful irrigation network. The Kallanai built by Karikal newlineChola in the beginning of the second century B.C. on Cauvery is still functioning and newlineremains a monument to the skill and industry of our ancestors. Not only Chola kings, newlinebut Chera, Pandia and Pallava kings also built irrigation works. This tradition newlinecontinued even during the reign of Vijayanagar rulers and the Palayakkarars of south newlineTamil Nadu. newlineThe British rule in the Tamil country, which was an integral part of the newlineMadras Presidency, lasted for 147 years. This included the period of first 57 years newline(1801 1857) when the East India Company governed it and the later period of 90 newlineyears (1858-1947) when the English Crown held direct control. At the beginning of newlinethe Company s rule, the high cost of transport and absence of the markets were newlineamongst the main barriers to increase agricultural incomes. As the East India newlineCompany was interested in promoting trade it concentrated on building roads, newlinebridges, and even railways to facilitate transport of commodities form ports to newlineinteriors and from inland to coast land. Irrigation was, therefore not their priority. newlineThe East India Company took credit to themselves for the successful newlineand profitable results of Irrigation works done by Indian rulers. The Maramath newline(Maintenance) Department was a wing of the government in the early British period. newlineExcepting repairs done to the existing irrigation tanks, no new undertakings were newlineorganized by this Department. Later because of force of circumstances the Company. newline