Thar villagers adapt as heat and canal maintenance strain water supplies

Families in Rajasthan’s Thar Desert are adapting their homes, farming practices and daily routines as intense heat and water shortages put pressure on rural livelihoods. The temperature in Bikaner district has crossed 46 degrees Celsius, according to The Hindu. The Indira Gandhi Canal, which carries Himalayan water and supports households, farms and local industry, is the region’s principal water source.

A scheduled 45-day canal closure for maintenance created additional difficulties for villages around Pugal. Deepanker Sharma, an executive engineer with the Indira Gandhi Canal Project, said the closure was needed because the canal had deteriorated and was losing water through seepage. Water flow has since been restored from Harike Barrage in Punjab.

Sharma said the current average flow was 10,000 cusecs, compared with a maximum capacity of 18,000 cusecs. Drinking-water needs in Pugal, Dantaur and Aduri were prioritised, with irrigation for kharif crops to follow. Residents described measures used to reduce heat and conserve water.

Maroof Khan said thatched roofs provide insulation and that sprinkling water on them lowers indoor temperatures. Some houses use walls made from cow dung and clay, while farmers use drip irrigation to retain soil moisture. Agricultural labourer Kailash Meghwal said he grew drought-resistant sorghum as fodder.

The heatwave has also increased demand for work under the rural employment guarantee scheme, according to local official Gopa Ram, whose administration is covering open irrigation ditches and channels with concrete.