Jaisalmer: In a significant development, the Rajasthan govt prematurely ended the scheduled maintenance closure of the Indira Gandhi Canal, primarily due to increased water requirements from the Armed Forces amid India-Pakistan tensionsThe decision, taken during a meeting on Saturday, brought hope to millions of residents also across 10 districts in western Rajasthan who have been grappling with severe drinking water shortage during summers.The Bhakra Beas Management Board(BBMB) began releasing water Sunday morning, with 600 cusecs flowing from the Harike Barrage and 6,000 cusecs from the Pong Dam The water is expected to reach the tail end of Jaisalmer district within 5-6 days, bringing relief to the parched regions of Bikaner, Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur, Nagaur and Sikar.The canal’s maintenance work, which began on March 26, was originally planned in two phases – partial closure for drinking water release until April 26, followed by complete closure until May 27.During the closure, residents rely on stored water, with authorities implementing alternate-day water supply to manage the resultant scarcity.Executive engineer Kaptan Singh Meena, regulation in-charge at Nachna area of Indira Gandhi Canal project in Jaisalmer, confirmed that while there is sufficient drinking water storage for the next 15 days, the decision to resume water flow was necessitated by the current border situation and military requirements.”This step will soon restore regular water supply in all major cities of western Rajasthan,” Meena said.While resumption of water flow will address the area’s drinking water crisis, there are currently no provisions for irrigation water for farmers in the region.Indira Gandhi Canal serves as the primary source of drinking water for the border districts, and this timely intervention is expected to provide substantial relief to both civilian populations and Armed Forces, particularly during the ongoing hot season.
