Of all the places a development organization can work, the Thar desert is one of the most difficult. The physical environment has rendered the land basically inhabitable and inaccesbile. But, the needs of the people here are great, as education, health, and even just bare necessities like water and food remain out of reach for many.

A scorching summer, a chilly winter, dry monsoon and dust storms are the characterestics of the region. The burning Thar gets a rainfall of less than 200 mm in a year, declining to as little as100 mm in some parts. The meager rainfall makes ground water hard to replenish, which means ground water cannot serve as a long-term source of water for drinking and irrigation.

The desert is able to support perennial vegetation due to the soil's ability to conserve moisture, even against the most powerful sunsine and desiccating wind. The most prominent desert plant, the Khejri tree provides pods to eat, and wood for fuel. The Thar Desert is home to some 700 specis of grasses, herbs, shrubs, and trees. Besides lack of vegetation,   the over-exploittaion due to the growing population of humans and livestock is also a concern. The region also has a variety of wildlife and over 300 specis of birds habitate in Thar.The Thar Desert is also the most densely populated desert eco-system in the world with a population of above 23 million.

The diversity of plants and animals make the Thar a site to see. However, the presence of so much life in the Thar does not mean that their survival is guaranteed in the future. The increasing desertification and natural degradation as well as persistent droughts have worsened the living conditions drastically in recent years. The Thar is one of the victims of uneven growth seen all over India, and deserves the attention of the government and the development sector before its story gets buried under the sand.