News in Frames | Bringing water to a scorching desert
The Indira Gandhi Canal, which flows through a small stretch of northwestern Haryana before traversing 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 has also reduced dependence on scarce groundwater and supports large-scale irrigation, enabling farmers to cultivate crops and significantly strengthen animal husbandry. Rainfall itself has increased, a shift local people say is due to the increased availability of water and vegetation the canal has given growth to. “Fifty to sixty years ago, our forefathers in Jaisalmer used to tell guests, ‘You may ask for a glass of ghee or milk, but do not ask for a glass of water,’” says local social activist and veteran journalist R.K. Vyas. “That has changed… Due to the canal water, Jaisalmer witnessed changes in rainfall over the past decade. Though there was no rain last year, we pray that this year brings good rainfall so that our livestock survives and …
