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Work as Chief Engineer, Mysore

Sir M Visvesvaraya

Mysore had a large number of fine reservoirs and tanks, mostly of small size. A new reservoir of an unusual size had been constructed with a masonry dam, at a place called Marikanave, on the northern border of the State. Irrigation under this tank was being practised for some time. It was found that the cultivators were using the water none too economically and not by measurement and by this practice they not only failed to benefit the crops but had rendered the region malarial. When I heard of this, I tried to introduce the Block System of irrigation I had previously developed on the Bombay side with the imprimatur of the Indian Irrigation Commission of 1901-03, but the cultivators were secretly opposed to any change and, as had happened in Poona, the civilian officers also sided with them. There was a strong prejudice in favour of over-watering and as it was no easy thing to face opposition from both civilian officers and cultivators, particularly when I was new to the administrative practices of the State, the reform contemplated was not strictly enforced. I fear the irregular methods of water distribution under the Marikanave Reservoir have not received proper attention from responsible officials to this day.

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