Area wise Land Measurement in Pau Settlement in Garhwal
Characteristics of Pau Settlement in Garhwal -5
British Administration in Garhwal -50
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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -68
History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -905
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By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)
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After getting permission, the land measurement was started from Bhabhar. Higher authorities or experienced personnel trained hill Patwaris and Amins for measuring land by plain table and Jarib (chain). Survey personnel completed land measurement job for Bhabhar by February 1890. Then, official deputed survey parties for surveying south Pattis of Gangasalan and Tallasalan. However, there was feminine in Salan at that time. Therefore, instead of surveying in Salan, officials sent survey parties to Barasyun by March end. Government arranged dispatching grains from to Salan from plains at reasonable cost (Pau)
When survey party started surveying the land in Barasyun, the measurement was showing more land than the past records. People perceived that surveyors were adding wall and barren land at corners of farms. People were afraid of paying tax on barren land and contour walls too.
The lieutenant governor of United Province was on Garhwal tour. People requested the lieutenant governor for showing the survey to owners that they can verify the measurement conducted by survey parties (Pau).
The Barasyun people appealed for not conducting survey due to sever feminine. Pau was getting information that Barasyun people were not cooperating with survey parties and in many cases, people stopped survey parties entering into farms. The movement against survey was the most in Gagarsyun. Senior assistant commissioner Campbell called Padhans of the region and clearly informed that the government had taken decision for survey and government would punish the persons stopping the survey. Campbell assured that there will be sympathetic hearing for the pleas of complainers.
Amins of survey parties were mostly Garhwali. Pau wrote that mostly there was collusion between Amins and villagers. Amins came to Pauri for taking their salaries on 24th March 1890. All Amins resigned together there. Higher officials in Pauri tried for pacifying them but Amins did not hear official request. In May, senior assistant commissioner reached Pauri from Ramnagar. He decided for taking disciplinary action against Amin leaders and taking villagers into confidence. However, by that time, Amins had already left Pauri and went back to their respective. There was no survey work on that season.
The survey inspectors did survey in place of Amins. They could only complete survey work for 1300 acres nearby villages of Pauri. Villagers understood that British government could do survey without Amins. Government decided that there will be survey work in full swing in forthcoming season. However, government could not appoint Amins from plains (Pau, pp.77).
In December 1890, Colonel Sandman presented estimated survey expenditure on coming land surveys. He argued that since, the numbers of agriculture farms had increased the expenditure on survey would be Rs. 148530. In May 1892, government decided that survey would be done only where it was needed the most. It was decided that in balance region, the land settlement survey would be conducted on assumption basis. However, later on it was decided that Amins would work fully in 1893-94 and cadastral survey would be conducted n other easy regions too. Therefore, in following Paraganas, survey was completed through cadastral methods- Barasyun, Chaundkot, Mallasalan, Gangasalan, Devalgarh and Chandpur. Survey was conducted in Pindarwar and Nadka Patti of Badhan and Kalifat Talli, Kalifat Malli, Nagpur Malla, Maikhanda, Bamsu and Parkandi Pattis of Nagpur Pargana (Pau, page 101)
Amins
Government authorities found dissatisfactory works by all Amins those surveyed from 1890-1891. Government transferred Sandman and appointed Frohman for survey. In 1891, authorities trained Amins from Garhwal. In 1891-92 in Garhwal, there was a drop in numbers of Amins from plains. Many Amins of plains did not return to Garhwal after rainy season. The report of 1891-92 stated that Pahadi (Hills) Amin were asked for Khanapuri (measuring and recording). Report stated that hill Amins were non trustworthy (work skill wise) and high attention on them was a must (Pau, page 78.
In 1892-93, again there were major drops in numbers of Amins from plains. However, now there was not big issue as the Amins from Garhwal appointed two years were now skillful and experienced. In 1893-94, the works of Garhwali Amins were found satisfactory. (Pau 78)
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Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 23/9/2016
History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -906
*** History of British Rule/Administration over British Garhwal (Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter
(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)
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References
1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page-206 , 207
2- Pau, Garhwal Settlement report page 76, 77, 101
Xx
History of British Rule, Administration , Policies, Revenue system, over Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand ; History of British Rule , Administration , Policies Revenue system over Pauri Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system over Chamoli Garhwal, Nainital Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system over Rudraprayag Garhwal, Almora Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system over Dehradun , Champawat Kumaon, Uttarakhand ; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, ,Revenue system over Bageshwar Kumaon, Uttarakhand ;
History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, Revenue system over Haridwar, Pithoragarh Kumaon, Uttarakhand;
