Due to falling water levels in the dams in Himachal Pradesh, downstream Rajasthan is not receiving adequate water for irrigation. Since February 1, water in the canals of the Indira Gandhi Canal Project has been supplied exclusively for drinking purposes. This has severely impacted farmers in Hanumangarh, Sri Ganganagar and Bikaner districts, where standing crops are at the risk of drying up.
During a meeting of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) in Chandigarh on January 29, it was decided that the irrigation water supply in the Indira Gandhi Canal shall be suspended from February 1 and will provide only 3,000 cusecs of water exclusively for drinking purposes.
Additionally, it was decided to release 850 cusecs of water from the Bhakra Project. Farmers, however, argue that 1,200 cusecs of water from Bhakra and 5,000 to 6,000 cusecs from the Indira Gandhi Canal are needed to ensure adequate water supply in state canals.
Farmers, distressed by the water shortage, have staged protests and sit-ins at various locations, including Hanumangarh, Sri Ganganagar, Gharsana, Khajuwala, Mandi 365 Head, Chattargarh and Rawla. Resham Singh, a leader of the Kisan Sabha in Hanumangarh, told Down To Earth (DTE) that wheat crops in the Bhakra region are wilting due to the water shortage.
The Indira Gandhi Canal provides irrigation water to Hanumangarh, Sri Ganganagar, Bikaner and Churu districts, while the Bhakra canals supply water to Hanumangarh and Sri Ganganagar. For drinking water, the Indira Gandhi Canal serves 15 districts. Rajasthan receives its water supply for the Indira Gandhi Canal and Bhakra systems from the Pong and Bhakra dams, but these dams are currently running dry.
According to water resource officials, Rajasthan typically receives a continuous inflow of water into the Pong and Bhakra dams during the monsoon season, from May 21 to September 20. After the monsoon, from September 21 to May 20, water distribution for Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi is determined annually by the BBMB based on the rainfall data.
In 2024, due to below-average rainfall in catchment areas, the water level in the Bhakra Dam managed to reach only 1,648 feet on September 20 compared to its full capacity of 1,680 feet. Similarly, the Pong Dam, with a total capacity of 1,390 feet, reported only 1,374 feet on the same date.
After September, water levels in both dams continued to decline. Experts believe that reduced rainfall in Himachal Pradesh post-monsoon has led to this situation.
This has directly affected Rajasthan’s water share, leaving farmers without adequate irrigation water. Madan Joshi, a retired assistant director of the agriculture department, explained that wheat crops require irrigation six times until March to mature properly. However, the lack of water has made this impossible in the current season.
Charan Singh, a farmer from Mehrawala village in the Indira Gandhi Canal area, shared that it has been a month since their wheat crops were last irrigated. With temperatures rising, the crops are certain to be damaged if irrigation water is not provided soon.