Preliminary Trials of Bunding in Deep Black Soils of the Deccan Region of Maharashtra

Abstract

Nearly two decades back, the Department of Agriculture of the erstwhile Bombay State had taken extensive bunding operations in its scarcity tracts. Out of the seven lakhs of acres that were bunded during that period from 1942 to 1947, nearly half the area came under the category of deep black soils. Unfortunately, however, the technique of bunding then in vogue, proved quite unsuccessful on these soils and it was therefore discontinued in 1947. After bunding, there were widespread breaches in the bunds, leading to what may be called as induced erosion.  There used to be also stagnation of water in the interbund areas, resulting in delayed field operations. Thus, on account of their highly erodible nature, adverse and remarkably different physical properties than the rest of the soils of the State and a fairly extensive acreage amounting to about thrity-three lakh acres in the old Bombay State, it was thought very necessary not to take up any large scale bunding operations on these soils, unless it is first tried on some experimental basis.