CONTEXT 176 : JUNE 2023 31 in 1880–81. It was planned to link to other waterways with full-sized locks (150 by 20 feet), allowing all vessels to pass along it. The canal was completed in 1885, providing transport regardless of the state of the roads and a system of irrigation in times of drought. Fed by four rivers, the canal had a consistent supply of water even during a drought. The extraordinary commitment to the canal was, in part at least, a result of the realisation that it could prove to be highly remunerative as a trade route, yielding considerable revenue. Unesco has long recognised canals as heritage. ‘A canal is a human-engineered waterway. It may be of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history or technology, either intrinsically or as an exceptional example representative of this category of cultural property. The canal may be a monumental work, the defining feature of a linear cultural landscape, or an integral component of a complex cultural landscape. The significance of canals can be examined under technological, economic, social, and landscape factors’ (Unesco Convention, 1994). Unesco highlights the crucial importance of waterscapes and historic canals as visible infrastructural networks constituting a significant part of world history. This is especially true in the field of industrial archaeology, such The canal, filled with water hyacinths Some water remains in this stretch of the canal. (Photo: Gobinda Dalai) Local boats using a small stretch of canal for fishing and transporting materials Members of the Coast Canal Revival Forum mobilising support as bridges, lock systems, hydraulic factories, warehouses and river ports. Canals also have potential for developing sustainable tourism, responding to the growing demand for cultural and environmental protection, and for highquality recreation. The East Coast Canal can serve a variety of purposes: irrigation, navigation, defence, waterpower, flood mitigation, land drainage and water supply. Special technological significance is added by features such as the lining and waterproofing of the water channel, comparative structural features in other areas of architecture and technology, and the development of sophisticated constructional methods. Steamers plied the canal until a severe flood in 1973, and the lack of governmental effort to remedy its effects, resulted in its gradual decline. The government of India has recognised the importance of the canal and seeks to develop a proposal for its revival. Its restoration has the potential to contribute to water conservation, irrigation, the provision of safe drinking water, tourism, agriculture and flood control. The region’s people are campaigning to secure the canal’s restoration, building on collective memories. The Odisha Coast Canal Revival Forum is fostering awareness of the potential of the restored canal and seeks to raise funds to bring this heritage asset back into full use. Gobinda Ballava Dalai works on habitat development, water, sanitation and education. He is a board member of the Mauna Dhwani Foundation, which gives a voice to women in marginalised communities through training in traditional weaving skills. Kathryn Davies, formerly vice chair of the IHBC, is a heritage and planning consultant. She has been supporting the Mauna Dhwani Foundation in Odisha: the East Coast Canal passes close to the area where the foundation is based.
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