The concept of community participation is not new in the district. The practice of collective labour at harvest time and other periods of labour peaks are common among the people. Irrigation activities, such as digging and management of karezes, are centuries old and carried out together. Communities have served important functions in many areas, and fluid irrigation systems, including the construction of minor earth filled dams, were built and rehabilitated by the beneficiary communities. All users of these water schemes contributed labour and funds according to the size of the land they held. Such institutions were considerably weakened and began to disintegrate to some extent, following state interventions in rural development. The people are now used to look towards government for funds and development. This has created an environment, in which people are inclined to remain indifferent towards their fellow tribesmen an others for cooperation.

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