The Politics of Dams:Developmental Perspectives and Social Critique in Modern India

Big dams implemented in India for irrigation, power, water supply, etc. were often considered as effective symbols of economic development during the twentieth century. However, this endeavour is often associated with the scant regard for environmental and social consequences – especially for the populations that are displaced due to their homelands being flooded. Implementing large-scale river valley projects through the construction of dams is still high on the State’s agenda and constitutes a symbol of certain kind of development that seems to have lost much of the appeal compared to the boom in large projects in the early days after independence.