The idea of bringing the waters from the Himalayan Rivers flowing through Punjab and into Pakistan was conceived by an hydraulic engineer, Kanwar Sain in the late 1940s who proposed that of desert land in Bikaner and the northwest corner of Jaisalmer could be brought under irrigation from the stored waters of Punjab rivers. In 1960, Indus Water Treaty was signed between India and Pakistan which gave India the right to use waters of three rivers –the Satluj, Beas and Ravi. The proposed Rajasthan Canal envisaged use of 7.6 million acre feet of water. The initial plan was to build the canal in two stages, Stage I consisting of feeder canal from Harike barrage in Punjab. Stage I also included constructing distributary canal system of about in length. The stage II involved construction of long main canal and distributary canal network of. It was planned that the main canal will be wide at the top and wide at the bottom with water depth of. The canal was scheduled to be completed by 1971. The stage I could not be completed in time due to severe financial constraints, neglect and corruption. In 1970 the plan was revised and it was decided that the entire canal will be lined with concrete tiles. Five more lift schemes were added. Flow command of stage II was increased by. With increased requirements, the total length of main, feeder and distribution canals was about. The stage I was completed in 1983 around 20 years behind the completion schedule.
After the construction of the Indira Gandhi Canal, irrigation facilities were available over an area of in Jaisalmer district and in Barmer district. Irrigation had already been provided in an area of in Jaisalmer district. The canal has transformed the barren deserts of this district into fertile and good fields. Crops of mustard, cotton, and wheat now grow in this semi-arid north-western region replacing the soil there previously.
Besides providing water for agriculture, the canal will supply drinking water to hundreds of people in far-flung areas. As the second stage of work on the canal progresses rapidly, there is hope that it will enhance the living standards of the people of the state.
Sand dune stabilization
The Indira Gandhi Canal is a major step in reclaiming the Thar Desert and checking desertification of fertile areas. There is a planting programme for greening the desert in areas near the Indira Gandhi Canal which was started in 1965. This consists of the planting of shelter belts along roads and canals, blocks of plantations and sand dune stabilization. The tree species being used for planting are Dalbergia sissoo, Eucalyptus tereticornis, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Morus alba, Tecomella undulata, Acacia tortilis, Azadirachta indica, Albizia lebbeck, Cassia fistula, Populus ciliata, Melia azedarach, and Vachellia nilotica.
Environmental problems
The excessive irrigation and intensification of agriculture over the years has caused environmental degradation and creation of new wastelands. There have been problems with water-logging caused by excessive irrigation, seepage from canals and poor drainage. These factors produced a rise in the water table , increased salinity and finally submergence of the land. These problems have been exacerbated by the cultivation of water intensive .
