A spell of heavy showers witnessed in Raipur on Monday may have brought relief to the entire State to tide over a lingering deficient rainfall situation in many districts. However, the weatherman isn’t smiling as yet as Chhattisgarh is nowhere out of the spectre of a drought-like situation being faced in most of its districts.
“The rainfall is usually less in the month of September. But, this time, it is difficult to predict the quantum of rain expected as the State is under the threat of witnessing drought’’, said Dr GK Das, Head of Agrometeorology Department, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University (IGAU).
“We need incessant rain for about one to two hours in a day to overcome such problems. However, the 10 to 15 minute rainfall measuring 810 mm since Sunday would certainly benefit the crops,” he said.
Unfortunately, the few minute rains were recorded below normal. “Today’s rain was below normal i.e 1000 mm. The intensity in several parts was too low,” Das added.
Notably, as per the data recorded by Regional Meteorological Centre till today, Bastar and Dhantewada districts have received surplus rain but the condition is not same with the remaining districts including Raipur. A majority of the districts have been deprived of the showers.
Meanwhile, Ml Sahu, Director of Meteorological Centre, Raipur informed that several parts of the State will witness moderate rainfall during the next 24 hours which will not bring much relief to the residents.
“The temporary rainfall situation is due to the cyclonic pressure over the Bay of Bengal,” pointed Sahu.
last week, Chief Minister Raman Singh had declared that the State is facing drought-like conditions after which the Government promptly decided to take preventive measures by drafting a micro-level planning jointly by Zila Panchayat, PHED, Water Resources, Wildlife and Animal Husbandry departments.
Following the directions of the CM, PWD Minister Rajesh Munat had then directed the officials to submit a report on the status of kharif crops within a week.
Chhattisgarh which has experienced deficient rainfall in as many as five districts this monsoon season did not although find mention in the list of rain deficient states released by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) till August 13 this year.
As per the IMD report for the period, there had been deficit rainfall for states of Meghalaya(-33%), Nagaland(-58%), Manipur(-20%), Mizoram (-30%) , Bihar(-31%), Uttar Pradesh(-32%), Haryana(-24%), Punjab(-26%), Goa(-22%), Maharashtra(-26%), Telangana(-22%), AP(-24%), Karnataka (-23%), and Kerala(-30%).
Notably, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on August 11 had directed the officials to allow farmers to draw water from rivers and rivulets for the Kharif season crops through irrigation pumps in the districts where ever the rainfall is found deficient.
Singh issued the directives in a video conference with district collectors.
The districts of Rajnandgaon, Koriya, Kanker, Balod and Gariaband have received less than average rain this season. The State has registered 599.5 mm of rainfall so far.
In the five districts with scanty rainfall, power supply to irrigation pumps should be ensured, the Chief Minister had stated.
Notably, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the proposal of the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture for initiating a series of farmer friendly interventions in the wake of deficient rainfall as per IMD forecast of below average monsoon.