Property Rights and Institutional Arrangements of a Man-Made Wetland in Dryland Area of West Bengal, India

Abstract

The property right is one of the most vital factors determining the sustainable governance and utilization of the wetlands. The paper analyses property right issues and institutional arrangements of a rural man-made wetland in dryland areas of West Bengal, India. It uses Participatory Rural Appraisal, Key-Informant’s Interview, Focus Group Discussion, and household interview to accomplish this objective. The wetland, being located in the dryland landscape, serves as the primary freshwater source for surrounding communities and is used for multiple purposes. However, the conflict among the stakeholders on property right has caused the dissolution of the traditional local institution. Lack of regulation on water and fish extraction from the wetland affected essential human activities like household use, irrigation, and fishery. Moreover, conflict among the stakeholders adversely eroded any form of collective action for maintenance and renovation of the wetland. The study suggests that decentralized conflict resolution through dialogue is the pre-requisite for encouraging collective action and development of institutional arrangements which are vital for the restoration and sustainable utilization of the wetland.