Paper short abstract:

In this paper, I propose a historical account of hydraulic infrastructures as a flood control strategy since the colonial era in South Asian context and propose a critique of modern solutions while underpinning the epistemic violence conducted upon local communities.

Paper long abstract:

Amidst the recent floods observed globally, I propose to historicise the flood control mechanisms since the colonial period, later extended into the state policies and global international organisations. These flood control mechanisms specifically focus on the hydraulic infrastructures and their ‘qualitative development’ with the scientific advancement that validated the hegemony of coloniser, the institution of state, and international organisations over the native/local/indigenous people as well as on the nature/rivers. I draw the link of this hegemony and coloniality over local people and water with the epistemic power relations that result in the marginalised knowledge systems. These marginalised knowledge systems imply a harmonic relationship between humans and nature rather than treating the latter merely as a resource to be extracted. In this context of hegemony over nature through floods and epistemicide of indigenous knowledge systems, I present a critical aspect to the modern solutions/techno-managerial hydraulic infrastructures towards controlling floods while building on historical accounts from South Asian riverine ecologies.