Water and Dalits: A Historical Study of United Provinces (1900Ð1950)

Abstract

Water has been a critical resource for the survival of the biotic world. This paper explores the relationship between Dalits and access to water in the United Provinces. It documents the social condition and economic status of Dalits and their impact on livelihood structure. The fact is that the Dalit community is dependent critically on water and other natural resources due to its involvement with labour and agriculture. This paper seeks to explore the historical dimension of Dalit’s struggle to gain access to water in the United Provinces. The history of the relationship between water and Dalits in the United Provinces shows the way social exclusion manifested in the domain of access to water. This paper has been divided into four sections, the first section provides general information about Dalits, and the second section proposes a brief review of the literature. The third section attempts to trace the relationship between water and Dalits in the process of exclusion and inclusion of Dalits from natural resources in North India and the final section provides an illation of this paper.