The sands of Cholistan tell a tale of endurance, written over millennia on shifting dunes and the desolate bed of the ancient Hakra River. This harsh yet bountiful land guards many secrets of the Indus Valley Civilisation, serves as a sanctuary for rare wildlife, and preserves a cultural heritage like no other. Yet today, it stands at a critical juncture. While dreams of development inspire hope, the enduring imprint of colonial-style policies threatens to redefine its destiny, conjuring echoes of a past too many sought to escape.
An Ecosystem in Peril
Once the lifeline of this arid expanse, the Hakra River vanished from the landscape nearly 166 years ago, its fate sealed by the East India Company’s construction of the Ottu Weir. Today, its 100-km-long dry riverbed persists as a testament to its legacy, offering untapped potential for aquifer recharge through the strategic diversion of floodwaters.
Beneath what appears to be a barren wasteland thrives a vibrant ecosystem: the graceful Chinkara gazelle, migratory flocks of Siberian cranes painting the skies, resilient cattle, and the globally celebrated Brela camel. Among them is the Marecha camel, a symbol of desert endurance and cultural heritage renowned for its speed and stamina.
Cholistan’s narrative does not have to culminate in exploitation and loss. The desert harbours the potential for a sustainable future that honours its natural rhythms and the wisdom of its people
The people of this ecosystem, the Rohillas, have long adapted to this challenging terrain. For centuries, they have lived symbiotically with their environment, harvesting rainwater in ancient tobas, grazing their livestock on sparse vegetation, and crafting a way of life attuned to the delicate balance of the desert. Their traditions, woven into the shifting sands, are a testament to human ingenuity and harmony with nature. Yet, this delicate equilibrium now faces grave threats.
Colonisation and Displacement
Recent development initiatives by the Punjab government aim to transform 1.2 million acres of Cholistan’s arid expanse into fertile farmland through canal irrigation. On paper, this vision glows with promise, but its execution reveals a different reality. Fertile patches are being allocated to influential agriculturalists, while the indigenous Rohilla communities, stewards of this land for generations, are relegated to its most barren fringes. Traditional tobas are increasingly inaccessible, and pastoralists struggle against restricted access to essential resources.
This approach mirrors the colonial-era canal colony policies of British rule, which granted fertile lands to elites while marginalising local populations. The scars of these policies remain etched across Punjab, manifesting in ecological degradation, deep social inequities, and fragmented ecosystems. Cholistan now teeters on the brink of a similar fate. For the Rohillas, this is not progress but the erasure of a way of life that has withstood the test of time.
The repercussions of this displacement extend far beyond human communities. Cholistan’s fragile desert ecosystem, already under strain from climate change, is ill-equipped to endure the intensive irrigation schemes envisioned. Canal irrigation poses the risk of soil salinisation, waterlogging, and the depletion of already overstretched aquifers. These are not theoretical concerns but lessons painfully learned in other regions where such projects have wreaked ecological havoc.
A Sustainable Vision for Cholistan
Cholistan’s narrative does not have to culminate in exploitation and loss. The desert harbours the potential for a sustainable future that honours its natural rhythms and the wisdom of its people. Beneath the nearby Sutlej River, within a span of 20 to 40 km, lies an untapped aquifer capable of supporting life without the destructive consequences of canal irrigation. Harnessing this resource through solar-powered Riverbank Filtration (RBF) systems could provide clean water for human and livestock use, replenishing tobas and easing the burden on surface water sources. This decentralised, eco-friendly solution aligns seamlessly with the desert’s unique needs, enabling local communities to reclaim their ancestral role as guardians of this land.
Smart agricultural practices offer yet another path forward. Rather than water-intensive crops, desert farming can focus on drought-resistant plants and agroforestry methods that bolster biodiversity while conserving soil and water. Crops like guar, millet, and desert-adapted fruits could transform Cholistan into a model of sustainable agriculture, fostering food security without compromising the environment.
Through these measures, Cholistan can chart a course that respects its heritage, safeguards its ecosystems, and empowers its people. The choice lies in balancing development with preservation, ensuring that the story of this ancient land is not one of exploitation but of enduring resilience and harmony.
Preserving Culture and Heritage
Conservation must take centre stage in shaping Cholistan’s future. This region, with its over 400 archaeological sites from the Indus Valley Civilisation, stands as a living testament to human ingenuity and historical significance. Protecting these treasures, alongside safeguarding wildlife habitats, offers a pathway to eco-tourism—an avenue of economic growth that honours and celebrates the desert’s unique identity rather than exploiting it.
The Brela and Marecha camels, iconic symbols of Cholistan’s pastoral culture, are essential to this preservation. These animals, together with the Chinkara gazelle and migratory Siberian cranes, weave a fragile yet vital web of life that underpins both the ecological balance and the economic fabric of the region. Their survival is more than an ecological necessity; it is a cultural imperative.
Equally vital to Cholistan is its intangible heritage. The region’s music, crafts, and oral traditions are as intrinsic to its identity as its physical landscape. The people of Cholistan sing of their land’s stark beauty and enduring challenges, crafting narratives that mirror their deep bond with it. These traditions are not mere relics of bygone days; they are living, breathing testaments to the resilience of a community that has withstood the harshest of trials.
The Choice Ahead
As the sun sinks below the horizon, casting golden hues across Cholistan’s rolling dunes, the choice before us becomes unavoidably clear. Will this land evolve into a symbol of sustainable development, where progress respects the environment and uplifts its people? Or will it bear the marks of a new era of colonisation, where the allure of growth is achieved at the cost of displacement and ecological devastation?
The sands of Cholistan are not passive spectators to history; they are active participants. They have borne witness to the rise and fall of civilisations, the flourishing and faltering of communities. They echo tales of perseverance, caution, and boundless hope. The narrative they will tell in the future is ours to shape.
This decision encapsulates the essence of true development—not merely the construction of infrastructure or the expansion of agricultural land but the nurturing of a legacy that honours the past, empowers the present, and secures the future. Cholistan need not choose between heritage and progress. Instead, it requires a vision that sees the two as inseparable—a vision that allows the desert to thrive, its heart beating in harmony with its people, its wildlife, and its timeless sands.