REMEMBERING COLONEL C. H. DICKENS

(C) Copyright of Prabuddha Biswas

FOR INDIANS 

COLONEL C. H. DICKENS HAD PLANNED THE ‘SONE CANAL SYSTEM’, THE OLDEST AND THE LARGEST IRRIGATION ENDEAVOUR IN THE COUNTRY

FOR THE PEOPLE OF BIHAR 

THE PLANNING OF DICKENS HAD TURNED THE FAMINE-PRONE, DRY AND RUGGED TOPOGRAPHY OF SOUTH WEST BIHAR INTO THE RICE BOWL OF THE STATE.

HIS IDEA OF MAKING ANICUT AT DEHRI-ON-SONE, WITH ITS CANAL SYSTEM HAS PRACTICALLY MANAGED AND CONTROLLED THE RIVER SONE

(i) FROM FREQUENT CHANGES IN ITS COURSES,
(ii) FROM CAUSING DEVASTATING ANNUAL FLOODS, AND
(iii) FROM WASTAGE OF VAST NATURAL RESOURCE OF RAIN WATER IN THE FORM OF ‘SURFACE RUN-OFF’.

MORE SIGNIFICANTLY, THE SINGLE ACT OF MANAGING SONE

(i) HAS NOT ONLY SAVED THE VAST TRACT OF LAND FROM ‘BUXAR TO FATUHA’ FROM THE RECURRENT FLOODS DURING MONSOON, IN GENERAL, BUT

(ii) HIS PLANNING GAVE THE PERMANENT RESPITE FROM THE DEVASTATION OF PATNA, THE CAPITAL OF THE BIHAR PROVINCE.

UNFORTUNATELY, COLONEL C. H. DICKENS IS NOW A FACE-LESS PERSON, DEVOID OF ANY OBITUARY AND UNKOWN TO THE PEOPLE OF BIHAR.

BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE SONE CANAL SYSTEM

1. The idea of constructing works which would irrigate the districts bordering on the Sone originated in 1853 with late Colonel C. H. Dickens, who recommended to the colonial Government the construction of a series of reservoirs along the foot of the hills to catch the surface drainage and of canals to lead it over the plains country for use during dry months.
2. But the subject was under discussion for several years, the preparation of detailed surveys and estimates being seriously interfered with by the Mutiny of 1857.
3. Finally, the Government of India (under British Crown) decided that the execution of the project should be left to private enterprise, and it was offered to, and accepted by, the East India Irrigation and Canal Company which had already undertaken the Orissa (Odisha) and Midnapore canal works.

THE CONSTRUCTION COMMENCED

1. The Sone Canal System derives its supply from an anicut (Dam) across the River Sone at Dehri, and the general plan of the works comprise a Main Western Canal, branching off from it on the left bank and a Main Eastern Canal branching off on the right.
2. The anicut or weir, which is 12,469 feet long, consists of a mass of rubble stone laid to a uniform slope and stiffened by walls of masonry founded on shallow wells. The construction of Anicut, which was started in 1869 and was completed in 1875, amounted to Rs 15 lakhs.
3. In 1868, the then Government took over the construction and by 1873, first phase was in operation as water was passed through western canal to Arrah.
4. By 1876-77, the Sone Canal System was complete with both Western and Eastern Canal system.
5. The significant part of the endeavour was that the total length of the main canals is 209 miles, of the branch canals 149 miles, and the distributaries 1,235 miles. The interesting aspect that there were 123 miles of navigable canals and others for irrigation and distributaries.
6. When constructed, it was the largest irrigation endeavour in the country.
Sir John Houlton, the veteran British administrator, described (in 1949) the Son canal system as follows,
"This is easily the largest canal system in Bihar; there are 209 miles of main canals, 149 of branch canals and 1,235 of distributaries… The canals are of enormous benefit to cultivation. They have converted a large area of infertile land into a richly productive area."

EFFECTS OF CANAL IRRIGATION

1. Even though there was for many years a recurring loss on the canals, it has been compensated for by the great benefits which they have conferred on the tract which they serve.
2. They have afforded absolute protection against famine.
3. They have increased the profits of cultivation; and
4. They have enlarged the material resources of the community.
Later, a barrage was constructed 8 km upstream of the anicut (Dehri-on-Sone). Two link canals connected the new reservoir to the old irrigation system and also extended it.

THE TOTAL PLANNING OF COLONEL C. H. DICKENS WAS NEVER IMPLEMENTED 

1. Dickens planned to connect all the rivers of South Bihar to be connected phase wise, but it was never implemented.
2. Initially, Western Sone Canal was planned to extend further west up to Mirzapur district of United Provinces (presently, UP) but the work was discontinued. Later Chunar-Sone Barrage link canal came into existence.
3. The original planning was to connect Sone Canals with Punpun and further east with other rivers of Mokama Taal area but those planning and blue prints were dumped in the cold storage.
4. With that, the works of Colonel C. H. Dickens and the ‘person’ was forgotten.
5. Again, the concept of inter-linking of Rivers has been revived by new personalities in a new package.

REFERENCES AND EXCERPTS

1. Bihar and Orissa District Gazetteers of Sahabad.
2. Wikepedia
3. Sir John Houlton, ‘Bihar, The Heart of India’

PICTURES

1. River Sone

2. Babur crossing River sone

(C) Copyright of Prabuddha Biswas