Today, the threat of famine looms large over wide tract a of Bikaner division which fall between Jai­pur in the east and Jodhpur in the west. The only district which is immune is Ganganagar, which is irrigated by the canals constructed by the late Maharaja Gangasingh Even in this granary of Rajasthan, two tehsils have been declared scarcity stricken by the Rajasthan Government.

rThe following account of the scarce water resources and the possibilities of their fruit fill utilisation will throw light on the causes of recurring scarcity and also indicate the lines on which remedial mea­sures should be sought, •

THE ut i l i sa t ion o f water has diverse aspects in the different

na tu ra l divisions of Rajas than ac­cord ing to their physical condit ions. Of the to ta l cu l t iva ted area in the State, only 16 per cent is under i r r i ga t i on . Of the to ta l area of Rajasthan, the i r r iga ted area is na tura l ly m u c h smaller, being only 9.9 per cent. T h e rest is under Barani condi t ions, depending on the uncer ta in monsoon. The Gang canal, w i t h its feeders and t r i b u ­taries, in a l l 600 miles Jong, irrigates the ( r ang canal colony in Bikancr, covering about 7,00,000 acres. This is the major area under perennial i r r i ga t i on , the rest of the i r r iga ted area is served by the rivers C h a m -bal and lianas and the wells and tanks.

Eastern Rajasthan lies ma in ly on a p la in and comprises the districts o f Ja ipur . T o n k , Sawai M a d h o p u r , Bhara tpur , A l w a r , Sikar, Bhihvara and j h u n j h u n u . T h e districts of C h i t t o r g a r h , K o t a h , l i u n d i and Jhalawar , though ly ing on a plateau, r a n he inc luded in it as they have more or less s imilar characteristics. The western dry area of the State

constitutes a divis ion by itselt, com­pr is ing the districts of Ganganagar, Bikaner , C h u r u , Jodhpur , Banner , Jalora, Pal i , Nagaur and Jaisalmer. T h e par t w h i c h gels most of the ra in is the southern h i l l y d iv is ion , consisting of the districts of Uda i -pur , Banswara, D u n g a r p u r and the part o f Si rohi w h i c h falls in Raja­sthan.

T h e average r a in fa l l in the south­ern division is m u c h above that of any other na tu r a l d iv is ion. T h e average gradua l ly increases, f rom a m i n i m u m of 2 0 " in the north-west , t o 3 0 " i n the cen t ra l par t a n d 4 0 " in the extreme south. Ra in f a l l in Rajas than is precarious, va ry ing wide ly f r o m year to year, and f r o m place to place in the same year. T w o monsoon currents pass t h rough i t , one f rom the Bay of Bengal, the f i t fu l remnants o f w h i c h b r i n g u n ­certain rains to the eastern parts, w h i l e the south-west monsoon f r o m A r a b i a n Sea crosses the V i n d h y a

Ranges and brings r a in to the south, unless it loses its force on the mounta ins of Banswara, D u n g a r p u r and U d a i p u r . In those yearn when ample share of both monsoons is received, the surface water fills the ravines, depressions and cuts, and becomes available for i r r i ga t ion pur­poses. T h e greatly var iable annual ra infa l l is in some years more than double the average. Even w h e n there' is ra in in bo th the monsoons, it is not as advantageous as it. cou ld be, because the ra in fa l l is not we l l d is t r ibuted th rough the seasons, and tines not pe rmi t i r r iga t ion at suit­able times lo t g i o w i n g of crops. There is always the danger of short­age or of heavy rains for agr icu l ­t u r a l operations.

T h e dry north-western divis ion covers more than ha l f of Rajasthan. It is a sandy tract and is almost rainless. Jodhpur , Bikaner, Jaisal­mer and Shekhawat i f o r m an i m ­mense sandy p la in traversed by long lines of sand hills. The annua l ra in fa l l varies f rom 3" to 6" in the extreme north-west , wh i l e in the south-eastern part of the divis ion, i t goes up to 14". Rains in the desert regions are absorbed by the sandy soil wh ich has a great absorp­tive capacity and hence storage of water for i r r i g a t i o n purposes is not at a l l possible. T h e r a in fa l l here is seldom sufficient to cause any surface flow and the sub-soil water is found at a dep th of 100 to 150 ft. below the surface. In the south­west and north-west of this dry tract , water is found only at a depth of 300 ft at places along the border of Sind and Bahawalpur . I r r i g a ­t i on by means of wells is. therefore, qui te imprac t icable and unecono­mic . So this sandy region has to do w i t h o u t i r r i g a t i o n altogether. W h e n the Bhakra Project is comple ted , only then w i l l i t be possible to b r ing i r r i g a t i o n to these areas, A b o u t 7 lakh acres are then expected to be i r r iga ted and 10 lakh acres of l and benefited by this project . In the n o r t h of Bikaner , where sand gives place to l o a m , G a n g Cana l has t u r n ­ed the l a n d i n t o a flourishing field

of g ra in by perennial ly i r r i g a t i n g over 7 lakh acres of l and . Before the construct ion of the Gang Cana l , popu la t ion in this area was very scanty, and it was barely supported by keeping herds of camels, cat t le , sheep and goats; now the popula­t ion is increasing by leaps and bounds. A l i t t le ra infa l l brings crops to m a t u r i t y . Some of the produce of the desert w h i c h need the scantiest of r a in fa l l such as mil le ts , pulses and melons can grow in this area.

In Jaisalmer. there are no peren­n ia l streams, wells are too deep, soil is sandy and r a in f a l l very scanty, i r r i ga t ion f rom khairnes, the shal low depressions in to w h i c h the r a in wate r flows, is only some times possible. Condi t ions of scarcity are, therefore, perpetual , on account of shortage of r a in fa l l and damage done by locusts and the only escape is emigra­t ion to more ferti le regions. D e f i ­ciency of ra in and scarcity of fod ­der have made the people nomadic".

In Jodhpur , r a in fa l l i s scanty and i r regular , vary ing between 10" a n d 2 0 " annual ly . I t varies consider­ably in different districts of the d iv is ion . Of the annua l average of about 12", 4 .43" falls in the m o n t h of August , 3" in July , '2.67" in September and 2" in June. T h i s is the vast sandy t ract of the desert in the north-west and south-west desert of the: T h a i ' w i t h a narrow-strip of fer t i le l and a long the east­ern side. Water is found far below f rom the surface, say at a dep th of 250 ft. Where the sub-soil water level is not so deep, i r r i g a t i o n is carr ied on by means of wells a n d tanks. T h e r iver L u n i i s f i l led w i t h salty efflorescence and its water can­not be used .for i r r i ga t ion , hu t the river Jawai in the south has great possibilities. The construct ion of a dam on this r iver is expected to i r r igate 1,10,000 acres in the Pa l i , S i rohi and Jalore districts.

In parts of the western d iv is ion , water famine is the most severe, be­cause there are no forests and no perennial r ivers . Ne i the r of the monsopns reaches these parts, a n d

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Water Resources of Rajasthan and their Utilisation D N Nagar

the dep th of the sub-soil wate r rules o u t w e l l i r r i g a t i o n . Famine condi t ions appear whenever rains are un t ime ly or unevenly d is t r ibuted . People migra te w i t h the i r cat t le o r are engaged in the rel ief w o r k of cons t ruc t ing embankments of tanks or b u i l d i n g roads and ra i lway , etc. He re the means of communica t ions are also extremely inadequate. W h e n the K h a r i f c rop fails, R a b i c rop cannot be g r o w n and grass does not g row in sufficient quan­t i t y , relief measures arc s tar ted by g i v i n g loans to agricul tur is ts . jLocusts also frequent ly cause dam­age to crops and frosts as we l l as fa i lure of the w i n t e r monsoon spoil the Rab i crop. Wells a n d tanks arc therefore as essential as conserva­t i o n of forests a n d fodder reserves.

T h e vast sandy tract of Bagar is covered w i t h u n d u l a t i n g sand hi l ls , f o r m e d by the force of winds b low­i n g in that d i rec t ion . T h i s is the reason why the greater pa r t of Bikaner is dreary a n d desolate in the extreme. T h e t rac t is " as waste as the wildest pa r t of Arab i a , but dur­i n g and just after the rains i t wears a very different appearance, becom­i n g a vast green pasture l and cover­ed w i t h the richest and most succu­lent grasses" T h e r e are no peren­n i a l rivers here. The only stream to be flooded d u r i n g the rains is the K a d i . T h e Ghaggar enters f r o m the north-east near T i b i t h r o u g h Pat iala and Hissar. I t remains d ry except d u r i n g the rains. T w o canals have been constructed f rom this r iver for the purpose of i r r iga ­t i on . The re is only one fresh water lake at Gajner. T h e r e are no forests in Bikaner a n d trees are very few. Ca t t l e ( a n d now men) l ive on the pods, bark a n d leaves of khejra as no fodder can be g r o w n . Poor people have also to subsist on them d u r i n g famine . Babool grows on sandy hi l ls a long the d ry bed of Ghaggar, Sheesham, a deep root­ed tree, is f o u n d near Sujangarh. i t gets water f r o m a very great depth , her and neem are the on ly o ther trees that can g row here. So-her ia t imber , phog bushes and sajji plants g row in f i rm soils on the n o r t h of Ghaggar . Akra, the ' p r ide of the Desert ' and kareel g row w i t h ­out rains and are used as food. T h e largest number of excellent fodder grasses w h i c h grows d u r i n g rains and for w h i c h Bikaner is deservedly famous makes the count ry in years of good ra in fa l l one of the best graz ing grounds i n I n d i a . H o t winds and heavy sand storms dur ­i n g summer a n d severe co ld a n d frost d u r i n g w i n t e r f requent ly i n -

jure vegetation. The greater parts of Bikaner s i tuated in t he north and nor th-west of Rajasthans is u n ­p roduc t ive a n d i l l -wa te red . Excep t fo r the south-east, w h i c h is f a i r ly p roduc t ive w h e n i t gets r a i n , the rest of Bikaner is waterless and bar ren . T h e coun t ry a long Ghaggar is some­w h a t fer t i le . T h e r e the l and is level and sandy. To the n o r t h o f A n u p g a r h , the soil is fer t i le a n d protec ted to some extent by i r r i g a ­t i o n . M o i s t u r e re ta in ing soil is f o u n d near, H a n u m a n g a r h where i r r i ga t i on is capable of p r o d u c i n g l i g h t crops. O n l y one harvest is possible in most parts. Baj ra , m o t h a n d j o w a r , t i l a n d some cot ton are g r o w n as the K h a r i f c r o p ; a n d barley, g ram, rapeseed and a l i t t l e of wheat is g r o w n as R a b i crop.

T h e acreage under i r r i g a t i o n in the area now i r r iga ted by Gang Canal was only about 6,592 in 1901-1902 and it increased to 9,503 by 1906. It is only after the construc­t i o n o f G a n g Cana l in 1928, tha t the i r r iga ted area began to expand. D u r i n g the decade 1931-41 i t ex­panded to 4,27,000 acres a n d to 7 lakh acres by 1951. A l i nk chan­nel constructed by Pakistan bye-passes Ferozpore headworks of the Gang Cana l system. W h e n the head works are shifted to H a r i k a , Rajasthan w o u l d be benefitted w i t h 60 l akh acres of i r r iga ted area in Jodhpur , Jaisalmer a n d Bikaner. A f t e r Bhakra D a m is completed , 140 lakh acres of l and w o u l d be i r r iga ted . By harnessing the t r i b u ­taries of the r iver Jamuna , 200 lakh acres w o u l d get the facili t ies o f i r r i ­ga t ion f rom the proposed darns of the r iver Byas when C h i n a b , R a v i , M a h r u T u n n e l i s constructed a n d Badhopur-Byas l i n k is comple ted .

R a i n f a l l i n the south h i l l y d i v i ­sion is f a i r ly regular except in the extreme south where the monsoon f r o m the Bay of Bengal tapers off, g i v i n g a r a in f a l l of only 10" -20" . T h e rest of this region gets the bene­fits of b o t h the monsoons and U d a i -p u r has always been free f rom the extreme d rough t tha t occurs in

30 -40"- K o t a h has i r r i ga t ed black co t ton soil in the south bu t towards south-east, in the C h o t i Sadr i , there is a w i l d t rac t where the l a n d is u n d u l a t i n g . T h e soil be ing b r o w n , reddish a loam, the area can be made fert i le w i t h i r r i g a t i o n w h i c h is pos­sible on the r iver banks. Near C h i t t o r the i r r iga t ed black cot ton soil is very p roduc t ive . B h u r i m i t t i or l i gh t sand is on the banks of the rivers and t h o u g h the soil is not so r i c h , water f r o m the rivers have made i r r i g a t i o n possible and there is good r e tu rn f r o m cu l t iva ­t i on . On the embankments south of the gorges and on slopes of hi l ls , there are steps and terraces, w h i c h d ra in one in to another , t u r n i n g the land swampy d u r i n g the rains. On h i l l sides a k i n d of terrace cu l t i va ­t ion called ' wa l r a ' is practised by the Bhils.

R ive r Banas is the l i fe of the forests. A d a m at Bilaspur can b r i n g the Gogunda pla teau near N a t h d w a r a under i r r i g a t i o n . T h e o ld U d a i p u r and G w a l i o r States were separated by this r iver w h i c h falls in the r iver Ghamba l , T h e Banas is not perennia l , so water f r o m i t can be used for i r r i g a t i o n for only a par t of the year. Hut in this h i l l y region, water is stored up in the depressions for several months after the rains a n d is re­ta ined in the bed of Banas in the same way. Wa te r percolates in to the h a r d and rocky soil in to the ear th , and is available for i r r i g a t i o n when wells are sunk. T h a t is why the Udaisagar N a l a or Berach near C h i t t o r originates f r o m Udaisagar lake i n t o w h i c h water percolates f r o m a wide ca tchment area. K o t h a r i r i vu l e t flows on the plains a n d falls in the Banas. I t irrigates b o t h sides of its banks. R iver K h a r i also falls in the Banas in the n o r t h ­ern U d a i p u r d iv is ion . I t s water is not f i t for i r r i g a t i o n , be ing brac­kish and f u l l of salt.

(To be continued)

May 9, 1953

western Rajasthan. The annual average rainfall here is between

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