Desert villagers in Rajasthan turn to traditional ingenuity to beat intense heat, water scarcity

Families residing in Rajasthan’s Thar Desert are facing the ongoing heatwave with adaptations to cope with high temperature, water scarcity and the difficult geographical conditions. The villagers of the region are used to facing the blistering heat every year, and the mercury has crossed 46 degrees Celcius in Bikaner district this time.

The source of water for the rural households and agricultural fields in the region is mainly the Indira Gandhi Canal, considered the lifeline of the Thar Desert as it brings the Himalayan waters. Pugal marks the geographical bridge where the main canal’s primary feeder line ends and its downstream path continues into Jaisalmer district, with a 256-km section heading towards Mohangarh.

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The present heatwave, partly attributed to climate change, has put immense pressure on the local agrarian economy and livelihood of farmers, peasants and agricultural labourers. Though the canal feeds an extensive local network of distributaries, the shortage of water persists during summer. “The severe heatwave conditions have disturbed the regular schedule of our family. Half of our daytime is spent in arranging water for our livestock. We were planning to sow the seeds of kharif crops, but it will not be possible until we get sufficient water in our farm pond,” Maroof Khan, 18, a resident of Ramai village, 22 km away from Pugal, told The Hindu.

Canal closure

Water from the canal supports water-intensive crops like wheat, mustard and cotton, boosting the local economy and agriculture-based livelihoods. Local pumping stations and a vast network of minor distributaries help mitigate drought in the desert tehsil of Pugal, but the 45-day closure of the canal for scheduled maintenance has created difficulties for the villagers in the isolated rural settlements. Deepanker Sharma, Executive Engineer, Indira Gandhi Canal Project, Bikaner, said the canal’s closure was necessitated because of its dilapidated condition, which had led to seepage of water. The closure is a regular operative procedure for maintenance.

“The works were carried out efficiently this year and the water flow has been restored from Harike Barrage in Punjab. The average flow at present is 10,000 cusecs against the canal’s maximum capacity of 18,000 cusecs,” Mr. Sharma said. The water has been released first to resolve the drinking water shortages in Pugal, Dantaur and Aduri distributaries, with irrigation schedules for the kharif crops of groundnuts, moong, moth and cotton to follow. The canal’s closure has affected cattle, industrial usage and Army cantonments along the India-Pakistan border. Though the moderate rains and dust storms caused by western disturbance brought a temporary reprieve to the people in the region last week, the intense summer heat continues to affect normal life and batter the desert region.

Damage control steps

The desert inhabitants have devised several methods to cope with high temperature and minimise its impact on their food, cattle and the daily routine. “The thatched roof of our house traps air to provide natural insulation. When we sprinkle water on it, the temperature of the interior decreases during hot days,” Mr. Khan said.

Some of the houses in the village have walls built with a combination of cow dung and clay, which cuts the heat intake. Besides, drip irrigation in the field saves water and ensures soil moisture for longer durations.

Agricultural labourer Kailash Meghwal, 24, in Ramai village, working on 50-bigha land, said he had grown the drought-resistant jowar (sorghum) crop on a small piece of land as fodder for a cow and half-a-dozen goats reared by his family. The limited quantity of water available after the restoration of canal has helped in irrigating the crop and meeting the household needs.

Former Pugal sarpanch Siddharth Singh Bhati, functioning as the village panchayat’s administrator since his term ended in 2025, said the canal water had percolated into the ground and led to a rise in the groundwater table in the areas around the panchayat headquarters, providing an additional source of irrigation. “Several farmers have dug wells in their fields and found good quality water at a reasonable depth,” Mr. Bhati said.

Uptick in work

The heatwave has also led to an increase in the demand for work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). Pugal Block Development Officer Gopa Ram said the work allotted to the villagers had helped strengthen the local economy and reduced the impact of agrarian distress. “The Pugal Panchayat Samiti comprises as many as 97 villages. Besides the regular work, we have taken up the task for covering of open irrigation ditches and water channels connected to Indira Gandhi Canal with concrete structures,” Mr. Ram said.