Truant monsoon has given a scare to Madhya Pradesh with 35 out of 51 districts remaining rainfall deficient even as the peak of Kharif crop season is on. With very little rainfall received over the past 15 days in majority parts, the state currently stands at 23 per cent rain deficient.
Even as the lack of rainfall has started to cause concern among people, especially farmers, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Bhopal has predicted good rainfall this week and even better the week after.
The lack of rainfall caused farmers to hold a demonstration and even burning effigy of the weather department in Ujjain on Monday. Interestingly, however, it started raining shortly afterwards in the districts.
From June 1 (when rainy season officially starts) to Tuesday morning, Madhya Pradesh overall received 240.6 millimetres (mm) of rainfall against expected 311.3 mm, thereby facing a shortfall of 23 per cent, figures released by RMC showed. The 20 districts falling in eastern MP meteorological sub-division face 25 per cent deficiency while 31 districts of western MP sub-division face 21 per cent deficiency, the RMC report shows.
As many as 35 districts are facing deficient rain situations—rainfall that is 20 per cent or more deficient. In the meteorological system, rainfall that is 19 less or more than the expected figure is considered normal. Panna district in north MP is facing scanty rainfall scenario, with as much as 68 per cent shortfall.
For the exception of Singrauli district on the extreme northeast corner of the state where 43 per cent excess rain has been received, 15 other districts have received rainfall which is very close to the expected figure – either little less or little more.
Among the districts that are facing a severely deficient situation include Datia with 55 per cent deficiency, Chhatarpur, Damoh, Tikamgarh and Agar Malwa each with 54 per cent deficiency and Morena with 52 per cent deficiency.
Ex-chief minister Kamal Nath had expressed concern over the situation and urged the state government to start preparations to provide relief to the farmers. He said that there was no rain in the state on most days of July (till now). Due to this reason, crops have started drying up in several areas or are facing imminent danger. “In some places, farmers have had to repeat sowing. This is a new crisis after expensive power, diesel and seeds. Government should conduct surveys around the state and prepare to provide relief,” Nath had tweeted.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, meanwhile, held a review meeting regarding rainfall patterns with officials on Monday evening and asked the agriculture department to be in constant touch with the meteorological department. He said that the farmers should be given crop advice depending on the situation and prediction of rainfall. If there are chances of poor rainfall, farmers should be encouraged to sow alternative crops that require less water, the CM said.
Good rain prediction
However, on Tuesday, the MeT office in Bhopal predicted that due to the presence of a circulation system over West Uttar Pradesh and a low pressure area that is likely to form over Bay of Bengal by July 23, the state is likely to get widespread to fairly widespread rainfall this week. Also, with the Bay of Bengal system likely to re-curve next week, better rainfall could be expected from July 27 onwards in the state, public relations officer of RMC, Bhopal, G.D. Mishra told THE WEEK.
On Tuesday night, thundershowers with lightning strike have been warned for districts of Bhopal, Chambal and Gwalior divisions and districts like Sagar, Shahdol, Chhindwara, Jabalpur, Damoh, Sidhi and Singrauli. Districts of Chambal division and Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur and Umaria districts have been warned of very heavy showers.
