The Khadin and the Canal
Village R, 40 km from Jaisalmer, has 120 mm average rainfall and a traditional khadin-a sloping catchment that collects runoff behind an earthen bund and recharges a shallow aquifer. The khadin supports 60 ha of bajra, moth bean and guar, plus livestock. A proposed extension of a canal would bring irrigation to 150 ha and allow mustard and wheat. Younger villagers support the canal; elders say it will silt the khadin, increase salinity and make the village dependent. A heritage fort 2 km away attracts 8,000 tourists a year; a homestay run by women earns ₹1.2 lakh annually. The state offers canal water at subsidised rates but requires a water users' association and a contribution of ₹3 lakh. The village has ₹1.5 lakh in its own fund and a drought-relief grant of ₹4 lakh that cannot be used for canal construction. Temperatures reach 48°C in May.
1. Evaluate the canal proposal against the khadin system, using ecological, economic and cultural criteria.
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The khadin is an ecological and social system: it spreads runoff, recharges groundwater, and supports drought-hardy crops and livestock with low capital. The canal would raise production but may silt the khadin, raise the water table and salinity, and favour cash crops that need more water. Economically, canal wheat may give higher yields but requires fees, a water users' association and a ₹3 lakh contribution; the homestay and handicraft earn ₹1.2 lakh with less risk. Culturally, the khadin is tied to collective labour and festivals. A balanced judgement is not to reject the canal outright but to test a small, managed extension with safeguards for the khadin, or to refuse if the contribution and salinity risk are too high.
2. How should the village use the ₹4 lakh drought grant and the ₹1.5 lakh own fund?
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Use the ₹4 lakh drought grant for water conservation, khadin repair and fodder banks, not canal construction, because the grant rules forbid it. Use the ₹1.5 lakh own fund for a community ledger, training and maintenance tools. The canal contribution should come from a water users' association and the state share, not from drought relief. This respects the legal constraint and builds drought resilience. The village should also seek technical help to map the catchment and monitor recharge before expanding irrigation.
3. What disaster-management lesson does the khadin offer for drought?
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The khadin teaches decentralised rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and crop diversification-key drought management tools. It reduces dependence on a single canal and protects against failure. The lesson is to combine traditional structures with modern early warning, fodder reserves and water budgeting. The village should maintain the bund, map the catchment and monitor the aquifer. In a 120 mm rainfall area, a canal that fails in a drought year is riskier than a well-maintained khadin that captures every local shower.