October, 1912] 



297 



WELL IRRIGATION. 



[From an Address by Mr. Alfred Ghatterton at Coimbatore] 



Addressing an audience, the majority of whom are Coimbatore agri- 

 culturists, it is unnecessary to dilate upon the importance of well irriga- 

 tion in this district. That this is fully recognised is disclosed by the fact 

 that, whilst at the beginning of the last century there were about 20,000 

 wells in this district, there are now nearly 80,000 and they irrigate in a 

 normal year about 300,000 acres. These wells represent the accumulated 

 labour of generations of ryots and are an asset of great value. In the 

 Coimbatore District Manual, prepared by Sir Frederick Nicholson, and 

 published in 1887, he writes : — " During the past 30 years about 26,000 new 

 wells have been dug, representing a capital of, say, Rs. 65 to 70 lakhs." 

 This indicates an average expenditure of Rs. 250 per well. During the 

 scarcity of 1891-92 advances to the extent of Rs. 8 lakhs were made for 

 digging wells and upwards of 5,000 wells were then dug, from which it 

 would appear that the average expenditure on each well was Rs. 160, but 

 this probably does not represent the total expenditure in labour or money 

 that was incurred on these wells. It is practically certain that the aver- 

 age well in the Coimbatore District could not now be dug for less than 

 Rs. 500, and it is equally certain that they are fully worth that amount to 

 the cultivator. We may therefore assume that the wells of Coimbatore 

 are an asset which may be valued at not less than Rs. 4 crores. It is well 

 to pause and consider what this vast sum means. Invested at 6 per cent, 

 the rate charged by Government for takkavi loans, it would yield a return 

 of Rs. 25 lakhs a year, equivalent to a net profiit of Rs. 8 per acre per 

 annum on the area dependent on the wells. These figures, however, give 

 a faint idea as to the real value of water for garden cultivation in 

 this district. 



The Cost of Lifting Water. 



A short time ago I published some data tending to show that the cost 

 of lifting water for an acre of land averaged Rs. 70, but to this the officers 

 of the Agricultural Department took exception, and we discussed the 

 available data very carefully, with the result that my original estimate 

 was not materially discredited. The conclusion we came to may be briefly 

 stated in the following terms. The lifting of water for the 300,000 acres 

 under the wells in the Coimbatore District roughly costs the ryots in 

 some form or other the equivalent of between Rs. H and Rs. 2 crores. 

 Whether the higher or the lower estimate be accepted, it will be admitted 

 that the burden is an exceedingly heavy one and can only be met by the 

 unceasing toil of the ryot on what is naturally a rich soil, and which is 

 kept in a very fertile condition by a highly developed system of culture. 

 It is the object of the Agricultural Department to assist the ryot to still 

 further improve his methods of cultivation, and it is the object of the 

 Pumping and Boring Department to endeavour to reduce the expenditure 

 which the ryot must incur be fore he can make use of the water which 

 drains into his well. One Department is endeavouring to increase the 

 gross yield of the land aud the other to diminish, as much as possible, the 

 cost of supplying water. The efforts of the Agricultural Department 

 will, probably, in some form or other, be of benefit to every cultivator of 

 38 



