Why are southern and southwestern Haryana prone to drought?

Southern and southwestern Haryana are prone to chronic drought primarily due to the region's arid to semiarid climate and its proximity to the Thar Desert of Rajasthan.12

While most of Haryana experiences limited annual precipitation—averaging about 18 inches (450 mm)—the southwestern areas are characterized by sandy soils that fringe the desert, which exacerbates water retention challenges. Furthermore, the Aravalli Range, which has remnants in southern Haryana, plays a complex role in the regional environment; while it helps check the eastward expansion of the desert, the overall lack of perennial water sources in these specific zones makes them particularly vulnerable to water scarcity compared to the areas near the Yamuna and Ghaggar rivers.1234