Indira Gandhi Canal closure affects water supply in Rajasthan

The Indira Gandhi Canal Project in Rajasthan will close for redesigning and maintenance from March 26 to May 27. This closure will affect about 12 districts, including Jaisalmer, Bikaner, and Jodhpur. Farmers will not have access to the canal's water for irrigation during this time. For the first 30 days of the closure, only drinking water will flow at a rate of 2,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs). The canal will be completely shut down from April 27 until May 27. Officials from the Water Resources Department (WRD) are preparing for water storage ahead of the closure. The redesigning work at the canal began in 2018, funded by the New Development Bank, which approved Rs 3,291 crore for improvements in both Punjab and Rajasthan. Regular maintenance and water storage are routine during the yearly closure to address water scarcity that often occurs in summer. Barmer district will also experience a two-month closure, with one month being a partial closure. The WRD aims to store 2,000 cusecs of water to ensure supply during this period. There are facilities ready to distribute water to Barmer and Jaisalmer during the complete closure. Currently, 40 tube wells are non-operational due to power supply issues, which could worsen the water crisis. The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) plans to activate several of these tube wells to prevent shortages. They are also preparing to supply water by tanker to 290 villages and 842 hamlets that may face shortages.