JAISALMER: No fresh water will flow in the Indira Gandhi canal till May 24 due to annual maintenance work, for which the Punjab government completely closed the canal on Tuesday.
Ten districts in Rajasthan are dependent on the canal for drinking water supply, among them Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh, Bikaner, Churu, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Barmer and Nagaur.
The public health and engineering department (PHED) has filled all the storage tanks and diggis with water but rural areas may face drinking water scarcity during these days. The PHED has issued an advisory asking people to not waste water. Like every year, the canal closure spans two phases, over 60 days. This year, from March 26 to April 24 in the first phase the canal was closed partially, and from April 25 to May 24 there would be complete closure in the second phase.
Jaisalmer PHED superintending engineer Jeraram said that there were 212 storage diggis in the district which had all been filled with water. The biggest diggi at Mohangarh with a capacity of 3,000 MLD can supply water for 29 days and may be kept in reserve, he said. From this diggi, water can be supplied to about 550 villages and hamlets in Jaisalmer and Barmer.
Apart from this, farmers have been asked to get their diggis filled and store flowing water wherever possible, Jeraram said. Even after the canal closure, there will still be enough water in the canal to supply for 12 days, and wherever required, water would be supplied through tankers, he said. People can complain about any wastage of water at the departmental control room, the superintending engineer said, adding that village water sanitation committees have been urged to cooperate in making the Jal Jeevan scheme—for providing tap water to every house—successful.
