News in Frames | Bringing water to a scorching desert

TThe Indira Gandhi Canal, which passes through a small part of northwestern Haryana before crossing Rajasthan and ending in the Thar Desert near Gadra Road in Jaisalmer district, is India’s longest canal at 837 kilometres. It provides critical water supply to Jaisalmer and thousands of remote desert villages.

The canal also reduced dependence on scarce groundwater and supported large-scale irrigation, allowing farmers to grow crops and significantly strengthen livestock farming. The precipitation itself also increased; locals say it is due to the increased availability of water and vegetation that allows the canal to grow.

“Fifty to sixty years ago, our ancestors in Jaisalmer would tell guests, ‘You may ask for a glass of ghee or milk, but not a glass of water,'” says local social activist and veteran journalist RK Vyas. “This has changed… Jaisalmer has witnessed changes in rainfall in the last decade due to canal water. Although there was no rain last year, we pray that this year brings good rains so that our animals can survive and the cycle of nature continues with joy and prosperity,” he adds.

However, despite this progress, the problem of water scarcity continues.

According to the Central Groundwater Board, as of 2022, Jaisalmer’s urban area was among the seven cities in the list of 219 of the 302 blocks of Rajasthan classified as over-exploited for groundwater.

With temperatures hovering between 47 and 50 degrees Celsius, Razak Mahmood relies on his two camels to draw water from his ancestral well in Kalu ka Talav, a sand dune-lined village on the outskirts of Ramgarh near the India-Pakistan International Border in Rajasthan. People like Mahmood still struggle to provide enough water for themselves and their animals. “The canal needs maintenance throughout the year to ensure that the sand dunes do not wash into the canal and block the flow of water,” says Hukumsinh Mahicha Rathod, who lives near Jaisalmer Fort.

Photo: “Vijay Soneji”

Vital source: A resident collects water from a tributary of the Indira Gandhi Canal in Ramgarh village in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan.

Photo: “Vijay Soneji”

Drawing life: A farmer stands next to a borehole on his farm near the canal vital for irrigation in the region.

Photo: “Vijay Soneji”

Branches in the sun: Trees native to Rajasthan, seen on the canal banks at Mohangarh in Jaisalmer district.

Photo: “Vijay Soneji”

Daily needs: A woman washes clothes next to a storage tank in Siyamber village.

Photo: “Vijay Soneji”

Beyond the canal: Razak Mahmood draws water from his ancestral well at Kalu ka Talav near Ramgarh.

Photo: “Vijay Soneji”

Help is at hand: With temperatures often reaching 50°C, Razak Mahmood relies on his camels to draw water from the well.

Photo: “Vijay Soneji”

Areas of change: A farmer working in his field near Ramgarh village; Access to irrigation has enabled the development of agriculture in these regions.

Photo: “Vijay Soneji”

Lifeline in crises: In Siyamber village of Jaisalmer district, farmers draw water from the well to quench their thirst among the sand dunes.

Photo: “Vijay Soneji”

Refreshing drops: A camel drinks water from a stream in Mohangarh.