FE INSIDE STORY

Parched lands await first drop of monsoon showers

Sanjeeb Mukherjee
Posted: Sunday, Jun 21, 2009 at 0015 hrs IST
Updated: Sunday, Jun 21, 2009 at 0015 hrs IST

Font Size

Feedback

Discuss

Monsoon may advance towards MP: MET IMD predicts normal monsoon Monsoon within normal range: Met Dept Less monsoon rains this year, says IMD

New Delhi: The third week of June is almost over and millions of farmers across central and western India are still eagerly awaiting the first monsoon showers that would give a fresh lease of life to their parched lands—and their lives. India’s South West monsoon, which feeds more than half of the country’s arable lands, has not gained much strength ever since it reached the Kerala coast almost a week before its scheduled arrival date. Not surprising that cumulative rainfall across India from June 1 to June 17 has been 45% below normal, with as many as 28 meteorological sub-divisions of 36 receiving scanty or deficient rainfall and only eight receiving normal showers. Last year, during the same time, 32 sub-divisions had got normal rains and only four had received scanty rainfall.

The possibility of a crisis has got the official machinery moving. On Saturday, a high-powered committee of secretaries held an emergency meeting to take stock of the developing situation. Most experts believe that a delayed monsoon would cripple farm output, which the government can ill afford as it battles to bring the economy out of its current low phase.

Because of insufficient rains, Kharif sowing has been unsatisfactory for most crops, barring paddy and cereals, which have managed to buck the trend. Latest figures, released by the agriculture ministry, show that till June 19, pulses have been sown in around 1.81 lakh hectare, down from 1.88 lakh hectare last year. Oilseeds, which is mostly grown in central and western India, has been sown in 4.14 lakh hectare, down from 5.02 lakh hectare last year. And sugarcane, planted mostly in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh has been sown in around 41.54 lakh hectare till June 19, down from last year’s 42.81 lakh hectare.

In Monsoon Matters we analyse the impact of delayed or low monsoon on main crops grown during the Kharif season and also how it will affect various urban centres, many of them are reeling under acute water shortage. Take for example cotton, one of the biggest cash crops grown during the Kharif season and lifeline for millions of farmers in Vidharbha, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Till June 17, rainfall in Madhya Maharashtra has been 67% below normal, while in Marathwada, southwest monsoon has been 82% below normal. And in Vidharbha and Gujarat, monsoon rains have been 72% and 95% below normal, respectably.

Experts believe that if cotton...

Post Comments

Comments: (Limit 3,000 characters)

Name		Message
Email ID
Subject

TERMS OF USE:
The views, opinions and comments posted are your, and are not endorsed by this website. You shall be solely responsible for the comment posted here. The website reserves the right to delete, reject, or otherwise remove any views, opinions and comments posted or part thereof. You shall ensure that the comment is not inflammatory, abusive, derogatory, defamatory &/or obscene, or contain pornographic matter and/or does not constitute hate mail, or violate privacy of any person (s) or breach confidentiality or otherwise is illegal, immoral or contrary to public policy. Nor should it contain anything infringing copyright &/or intellectual property rights of any person(s).

I agree to the terms of use.

Comments

» parched land await monsoon showers.

Posted by ajraval on 2009-06-23 17:57:53.048067+05:30
River water distribution has been a subject of inter-state disputes since independence.Dr.Viswasaraiya asked Nehru to give him 100 crores in the fifties to link indian rivers but politics came in the way. That money was given to Punjab for BhakraNangal dam. Indira Gandhi inducted Dr. Rao to link river waters, but state-politics prevailed. It is time now to make water distribution a central subject and implement it harshly without interference of the states, and in the interest of the nation.Eighty percent of the rain water flows into the seas. The people also need to contribute in this aspect. Now sturdy plastic tanks are available. Rainwater should be collected in monsoon from the tops of their houses in the water-tank, enough to last as drinking water for an year. In olden days every house had a wooden water-tank wherein rain water was collected and stored for drinking use. The tap water may be unfiltered and can be used for sundry use other than drinking and cooking etc.=ajraval.

Reply Forward

» Supply of abundant rains

Posted by Sher Mohammad on 2009-06-21 15:33:54.85697+05:30
Islam doesn't bind a people to put its label as a precondition to accepting the messages of God, which relate to all humanity. In fact it sums up the essence of all previous messages that God delivered to mankind through His messengers. Here is an example. The people of Noha used to worship idols in a land that comprised inerrable desert. Noha conveyed to them God's message that "if you stop worshiping idols, who are powerless to do anything, and repent to God for your past deeds, He would send down abundant rains, enrich you with wealth and male children, give you gardens of frit pastures and create irrigation in your land." In other words make you a powerful nation. They didn't heed to it and were destroyed in a great deluge. But the message still holds. The Dalits may try it even to verify the authenticity of God. They need not renounce the label of Hinduism. Hinduism means people of Hindustan. The essence is having faith in God's attributes and love for Him in response to His (greater) love especially for downtrodden and deprived people.

Reply Forward

» Islam

Posted by Faq Ala on 2009-06-22 00:23:42.84685+05:30
Islam is a joke and so are muslims. All muslims are bacward, superstitious peeple who only beleieve in killing other people

Reply Forward