Bhaskar Save's letter to the Planning Commission on the SSP:

September 1993

Dr Jayant Patil
Convenor, Group on Sardar Sarovar Project
Member, Planning Commission
Yojana Bhawan, New Delhi 110001

Reference- Your D.O No: PC / M (JP) / SSP /93 dtd 8.9.93

Dear Sir,

Thank You for your letter dtd 8th September, 1993 inviting me to
share my views and experiences with your group studying the Sardar
Sarovar Project. I shall be glad to co-operate, and give below a
concise statement as requested in your letter.

I am a 72 year-old farmer, born in a family whose ancestral

occupation has been farming for many generations. Since childhood,
I have closely seen a broad range of agricultural practices from
traditional farming to modern chemical agriculture. During the last 30
years, I have entirely followed the low-cost way of natural farming. I
do not use chemicals at all, and have been enjoying excellent yields
and profits each year without any decline. The fertility of the humus-
rich top-soil at my farm, and its capacity to absorb moisture has also
steadily improved, and continues to improve.

I can confidently say from my long, personal experience that efficient,

sustainable farming requires very little irrigation -- a small fraction of
what is commonly used in modern agriculture. The yields of the crops
are best when the soil is just damp. Rice is the only exception that
can grow even where water accumulates, and is thus preferred as a
monsoon crop in low-lying areas. Excess irrigation in the case of all
other crops causes serious damage.

Whether one measures irrigation efficiency in terms of litres required

for each kilogram of food produced, or in terms of tonnes per acre of
land irrigated, the water requirement at my farm ‘Kalpavruksha’ is
between one-third and one-twentieth of that used in most modern
farms today. Moreover, the earth under the thick cover of vegetation
is a big natural reservoir that holds water all round the year. The
porous structure of the soil is like a sponge that enables it to absorb
and to percolate to the aquifer, or ground-water table, an enormous
quantity of rain-water each monsoon. The amount of water that is
stored in the ground at Kalpavruksha in this manner is more than the
total amount withdrawn from the well for irrigation in all the other
months when there is no rain. Thus, the farm is a net supplier of
water to the eco-system of the region, rather than a net user.

If our aim is sustainable agriculture for self-reliance, and for

safeguarding the future of our children, there is no need for big
irrigation schemes. The most efficient way, and in fact the only way,
to ensure the water security and food security of this nation is by
growing mixed, locally suitable crops, plants and trees, following the
laws of nature. This will increase rainfall and restore the earth’s
enormous natural capacity to soak and store the water in the ground,
protected from evaporation.

Even barren wastelands can be restored to health in less than a

decade. Moreover, by interplanting short-life crops, medium-life crops
and long-life crops, it is possible to have planned continuity of yield to
sustain a farmer through the transition period. The higher growth of
bio-mass and ground-cover will also hasten the regeneration of soil
fertility. My experience with the 5-year old Sanghavi Farm, started on
wasteland, confirms this.

In this statement, I will mainly concentrate on agriculture and

irrigation, covering the following points:

* How irrigation-intensive modern agriculture ruins the soil and its

capacity to absorb moisture, poisoning the entire food cycle of nature
and destroying our health.
* How natural processes greatly reduce the need for irrigation,
increase ground-water resources, and simplify the work of the farmer.

Why excess irrigation is very harmful :

Just as human beings need to breathe continuously, so also the roots

of plants (excluding species like mangroves, rice) require non-stop
aeration. Excess water drives out air contained between soil particles,
depriving the roots of their most vital need, and disrupting photo-
synthesis. But soil that is just damp enables non-stop aeration near
the roots, resulting in greater efficiency of photo-synthesis. Such
continuous soil aeration is of fundamental importance in agriculture.

Prolonged flooding at the roots causes them to rot, resulting in

various plant diseases and pest attacks. Even after the excess water
in the soil has dried or drained away, much time is lost in
regenerating the roots and root fibres, before the photosynthesis of
new leaves, flowers, fruits etc can resume.

Excess water similarly harms the earthworms and aerobic micro-

organisms such as decomposer bacteria, that vitally need oxygen to
survive and function. The formation of humus from organic matter by
these soil-creatures is thus obstructed.

Salinisation ruins the soil : Salinisation of the soil is an extremely

serious problem caused by excess irrigation. It is only rainwater that
is pure distilled water. The irrigation water drawn from canals, wells,
tubewells etc. contains salts that have dissolved in it through contact
with the earth. When such water is used on the farm, some of it
evaporates, leaving the salts behind on the surface of the soil. e.g:
with 60% evaporation, 60% of the dissolved salts are left behind. This
process continues, and a progressively thicker crust of salts is formed
on the land.

Most of Gujarat has a dry climate with a high rate of evaporation. As

one moves northward to the regions of Saurashtra and Kutchh, the
air gets hotter and drier. Consequently, the rate of evaporation and
salinisation is even higher.

Salinisation greatly reduces the soil's capacity to absorb air and

moisture, since these cannot penetrate the hard, sealed surface of
the earth. The plants suffer as a result of this. Similarly, the
earthworms, micro-organisms, etc also die through suffocation in the
absence of air, speeding up the ruination of the soil. The traditional
plough drawn by bullocks can no longer break the hardened earth,
and the farmer is forced to resort to tractor-ploughing, which only
worsens the damage each year.
The most serious problems, however, are caused where water-
guzzling mono-culture cash-crops like sugarcane and basmati rice
are grown round the year, abandoning the traditional mixed-cropping
and rotation systems of the past.

I have personally seen the terrible condition of the land in the regions
of Sangli and Baramati. This is a direct consequence of irrigation-
intensive agriculture. One can actually taste the high saltiness of the
soil. In many parts, the ground-water level has risen upto the root
zone and can be found at a depth of barely 4-5 feet. The situation is
such that not even a blade of grass can grow on such land. Huge
areas in Punjab irrigated from Bhakra Nangal have been similarly
ruined by soil-salinisation and water-logging. Such examples are
numerous, and most large irrigation schemes face this threat.

The problems are compounded by toxic chemicals which increase the

irrigation requirement of crops, and poison the food-cycle of nature,
killing many helpful friends of the farmer like the earthworms, bees,
frogs, spiders, birds, etc. The living soil collapses into dead dust . I
fear for the people who still want to imitate the so-called agricultural
"success" of Punjab.
Exporting Water :

The water used to irrigate one acre of sugarcane can provide the
needs of atleast 25 acres of jowar, bajra or maize. One kg of basmati
rice requires 300 to 400 litres of water, and large quantities of such
rice are exported. One kg of corn requires only 15 to 17 litres of water
and this crop is imported. In effect, we are exporting our water
resources.

The Government is also promoting the export of sugar. Each such kg

of processed sugar requires atleast 2 to 3 tonnes of water, which
could have been used to grow, by the traditional organic way, about
150 to 200 kg of jowar or bajra to feed our own people. Moeover, the
monocultures of sugarcane cause the worst problems of salinisation.
While we may be able to import food, fuel, fertiliser, etc., land is
something that can never be imported. We must be careful that we do
not create in India, another Ethiopia or Somalia. God may forgive our
mistakes, rooted in short-sighted greed, but the future generations
will never forgive us.
Rain too, is driven away :

Some decades ago, there grew trees and forests even in parts of
Saurashtra and Kutchh, and more rain used to fall than we have now.
Today, there are still thick rain clouds darkening the skies in the
monsoon months as they pass above these regions. But little or no
rain falls on the ground, as the hot dry air is not suitable for
condensation. We unfortunately forget that deserts do not form
because there is no rain. The truth is that rain stops falling because
we have already destroyed the vegetation and created deserts.

In the past, Kutchh lost its green cover through the clear-felling of
trees and forests for selling timber. Today, India is losing most of her
vegetation and destroying her soils because of modern irrigation-
intensive agriculture, modern (reckless) development, and cancerous
urbanisation. This is the path of desertification and man-made
famines. The only alternative is to reduce water wastage, and follow
nature's way to regeneration..
NATURE'S WAY
The Example of Mountain Forests:

On steep mountain slopes, such as in the Himalayas or Sahyadris,

the soil is subject to high erosion during the heavy tropical monsoons.
Consequently, the earth may have barely 5% soil and 95% rock and
stones.Yet thick forests with huge, old trees thrive on such land. The
well-drained slopes allow for non-stop soil aeration, and undisturbed
photo-synthesis. During the 8 or 9 months when there is no rain, the
trees are able to survive very well on the moisture soaked in the
monsoon, and on the daily condensation of dew. No irrigation needs
to be provided by man! In contrast, the low-lying areas in river valleys
and plains (e.g. Gangetic region) may have 95% soil and less than
5% rocks or stones. But because such land is prone to water
accumulation, the roots of trees suffer from poor soil aeration. After
the rains stop in October, many months may go in repairing or
replacing the damaged roots. The photo-synthesis of new leaves and
branches is usually resumed only around April, and after 2 to 3
months, the monsoon returns, once again disrupting photo-synthesis
where excess water is unable to drain away. The growth of trees and
forests in such conditions can therefore be seen to be poorer than on
the well-drained slopes.
The Role of Weeds :

In nature, wherever some sunlight falls on bare, damp soil, a number

of weeds come up on their own. These shade the ground, moderate
the micro-climatic temperature, maintain humidity and reduce
evaporation loss, thus conserving the soil moisture. The earthworms,
micro-organisms and other creatures of the soil multiply and work
well under such conditions. The movement of all these creatures
provides natural tillage to the soil, maintaining its porous structure
and its capacity to absorb and hold both air and moisture. When the
weeds complete their life cycle, their dead leaves and roots provide
the food needed by the earthworms, decomposer bacteria, etc. which
is then converted into nutrient-rich, natural compost.
Soil Humus :

If all organic ‘waste materials’, e.g. crop residues, leaf litter, cattle and
human excreta, etc. are returned to the soil, these are broken down
through the digestive processes of the soil creatures, increasing
humus on the surface. This dark mixture of semi-decomposed and
fully decomposed matter, is a very absorbent substance. It is the
most important element in ensuring the sustained fertility of the soil,
and stores both rainwater and dissolved minerals for the plants to
draw upon. Equally helpful is its role in enabling excess water to drain
away to deeper layers of the sub-soil, and finally to the ground-water
table.
WHAT CAN BE DONE
Controlling Water Wastage :

Since atleast 60% of the water used for irrigation nowadays is

excessive, wasteful and harmful, the first step that needs to be taken
is to control this. [Where harmful chemicals are used , the lasting
damage to soil through salinisation is even greater, and it is essential
that the government undertakes a widespread public education
programme for the farmers]. By this, not only will the harm caused by
excess irrigation stop, but a good deal of the water that is saved can
also become available for priority areas where acute scarcity is felt.
Moreover, agricultural costs will fall, while yields will significantly
improve. Israel is one example of a state with extremely little water
obtaining good agricultural yield under harsh conditions. Even better
results can be obtained in India at much less cost by relying entirely
on natural processes without using any chemicals. There is no
necessity either for drip irrigation.
Tree Cover:

Additionally, the government should implement a programme to

restore atleast 25% to 30% cover of mixed, indigeneous trees and
forests. Outstanding benefits can be achieved within a decade at
comparatively little monetary investment. Rainfall will increase and
ground water levels will rise. We unfortunately forget that the potential
for natural water storage in the ground is many times greater than the
combined capacity of all the major and medium irrigation projects in
India – complete, incomplete, or still on paper. Such underground
storage is also more efficient as it is protected from the high
evaporation of surface storage. The above measure of planting
traditional indigenous trees will also make available a variety of useful
produce to improve the health and well-being of a larger number of
people.
In Conclusion :

It is my firm belief that large irrigation schemes are not necessary for
sustainable and self-sufficient agriculture. Rather, such schemes
have usually resulted in excessive misuse of water, starting a chain
effect of various problems, making it essential to adopt the above
measures to minimise the damage caused. The present trend of
demand for irrigation water is like a bottomless pit. If wastage
continues in this manner, not even a dozen Sardar Sarovar Projects
will be sufficient.

As I am a farmer, I have confined myself to matters pertaining to

farming. If you have any questions, or need some further
clarifications/details, I will be glad to answer.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Bhaskar H Save