New Delhi, March 6 -- Due to falling water levels in the dams in Himachal Pradesh, downstream Rajasthan is not receiving adequate water for irrigation. Since February 1, water in the canals of the Indira Gandhi Canal Project has been supplied exclusively for drinking purposes. This has severely impacted farmers in Hanumangarh, Sri Ganganagar and Bikaner districts, where standing crops are at the risk of drying up.

During a meeting of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) in Chandigarh on January 29, it was decided that the irrigation water supply in the Indira Gandhi Canal shall be suspended from February 1 and will provide only 3,000 cusecs of water exclusively for drinking purposes.

Additionally, it was decided to release 850 cusecs...