The closure of the Indira Gandhi Canal, considered the lifeline for northern and western Rajasthan districts, for two months beginning this week, for repair and relining of feeders, is set to have an impact on the drinking and irrigation needs of 1.75 crore people in the State. Numerous cattle, industrial usage, and Army Cantonments along the international border will also be affected.
The Indira Gandhi Canal is the country’s longest canal which terminates in irrigation facilities in the Thar desert. The repairs have been necessitated because of the dilapidated condition of the canal at several places, which has led to seepage of water over the years, in addition to the risk of damage when water being supplied at its full capacity.
The canal will be closed till the end of May, although partial flow of water will be allowed during the first fortnight of April only for drinking water needs. The canal traverses seven districts — Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh, Bikaner, Churu, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Barmer — all of which will be affected during the zero flow of water from mid-April to May.
Repair and relining work is being taken up. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Repair and relining work is being taken up at this time because farmers’ dependence on the canal is at a minimum during the post rabi crop season and before the onset of the kharif season. Earlier, the State Government’s Water Resources Department took up the work on a 47-km-long stretch of the canal in a record 30-day period amid the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in June 2021.
In Jodhpur, the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) has collected water in the main reservoirs of the city — Takhat Sagar, Kaylana and Surpura dam. PHED Chief Engineer Neeraj Mathur said water supply would be maintained during the summer months by filling up the reservoir adjacent to the main canal.
Mr. Mathur said the closure would include the Harike Barrage in Punjab as well, from where the Indira Gandhi Canal begins, and a notification for the purpose had been issued under the Northern India Canal and Drainage Act. The city’s daily need of 13 mcft to 15.5 mcft water would be met from the reservoirs, he said.
About 10,110 million litres of water have been stored in the Nokha Daiya dam in the neighbouring Nagaur district, and 2,800 borewells and 3,900 handpumps have been identified for ensuring the drinking water supply to the parts of the district where canal water is usually supplied. PHED’s Nodal Officer Ramchandra Rad said a “water holiday” would be observed on every Sunday.
Hansraj Godara, Sarpanch of Lilala village in Barmer district’s Baytu tehsil, said that though the stoppage of water supply from the canal would create difficulties in the region, alternative arrangements would be made with the administration’s help. “The canal quenches the thirst of western Rajasthan. It is our lifeline throughout the year,” he said.
The district administration in Jaisalmer has formulated plans to supply water by tankers to far-off villages. The main canal’s total length of 445 km in the State is expected to get additional water by saving on the considerable seepage losses after the relining work, which will benefit the people downstream.
