With more than half of monsoon season over, Punjab and Chandigarh have witnessed surplus rainfall in contrast to neighboring State of Haryana where several districts are on the brink of facing drought-like situation due to deficient monsoon rainfall
According to the Meteorological Department, Chandigarh has received 510 mm rains against normal rains of 475.3 from June to August 6, with 34.7 mm surplus rainfall. The agrarian State of Punjab received 278.5 mm rains against normal of 272.2 mm with 2 per cent surplus downpour so far. Haryana, meanwhile witnessed rain deficit of 25 per cent recording 184.7 mm rains against normal rains of 246.3 mm from June to August 6.
In Haryana, the districts namely Kurukshetra, Panipat, Rohtak, Sirsa and Jhajjar are badly hit due to poor monsoon rains. Various parts of Haryana have recorded rain deficit ranging from 5 per cent to 69 percent. Meteorological Department’s data shows the monsoon rainfall deficiency of 69 per cent in Kurukshetra, 69 per cent in Panipat, 68 per cent in Rohtak, 44 per cent in Fatehabad, 54 per cent in Sirsa, 51 per cent in Jhajjar district of Haryana.
Other districts have recorded rain deficit ranging from 5 per cent to 44 per cent. Only Karnal has witnessed surplus monsoon downpour so far this season. Recording 24 per cent surplus rains, Karnal have received 367.7 mm rains against normal rainfall of 296.5 mm. In contrast to Haryana, the neighboring Punjab remained rainfall surplus. A rainfall surplus ranging from 3 per cent to 65 per cent was recorded in most parts of Punjab while very few remained monsoon deficient.
The districts with highly surplus rainfall are Kapurthala with 65 percent, Muktsar with 63 percent, Bhatinda with 55 percent and Faridkot with 53 percent. According to the Met Department, while most of the areas of Punjab received good rainfall, only few pockets have recorded rain deficit. And, these are Ferozpur, Sangrur, Mansa, Patiala and Mohali which have recorded rain deficit ranging from 6 to 29 per cent. As per the predictions of Met Department, the region is likely to receive heavy rainfall in the coming days and the rain deficit is likely to fill up by the end of August.
Also, the monsoon will remain normal across the region this year. While talking to The Pioneer, Surender Pal, Director Meteorological Department said: “Moderate to heavy rains are expected in the region in the coming days. And, the monsoon deficiency is expected to narrow down in Haryana.” He said, “Monsoon will remain normal this year.
The heavy rainfall in past one week has filled up the monsoon rain deficit in many parts of the region.” This year, the monsoon had advanced in the region on June 15, two weeks earlier than normal onset date. last year, the monsoon had reached the region in the first week of July. In 2012, Punjab and Haryana had recorded a rain deficit of 46 per cent and 40 percent respectively. And, Chandigarh—the joint capital city of Punjab and Haryana had recorded a monsoon rainfall deficit of 10 per cent.