M A I N   N E W S

Monsoon brings relief to farmers
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 5
The monsoon showers, which lashed different parts of North India, brought a sigh of relief to farmers as the sowing of paddy would pick up in the coming days.

The Met Office, which officially declared that the monsoon had arrived in North India, said good rainfall was received in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, western Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

Though the monsoon arrived a week behind schedule in Delhi, Met officials said deviation up to a week would be considered as normal.

Good monsoon this year would be a welcome relief to farmers, who witnessed the worst drought in a century last year. Agricultural scientists were of the view that the good rainfall during this period of the year would help the farmers to sow the crop as several farms were not irrigated by canals.

It may also force the Agricultural Ministry to revise its estimates for kharif output. The ministry had indicated 28 million tonnes shortfall from the targeted output in 2002-03.

The fourth advance estimates of production of foodgrains of the ministry revealed that total foodgrains output in 2002-03 was 182.57 million tonnes — almost 28 million tonnes less than the target of 220 million tonnes and 20 million tonnes less than last year’s production of 212.02 million tonnes.

While the reasons behind the fall in foodgrains output last year can been attributed to abnormally deficient rainfall in most parts of the country, Kharif output of 2003-04 depends critically on the onset of monsoons to increase the area under major kharif crops.

Monsoon turns active in North

Chandigarh, July 5
At long last, the South-West monsoon moves into more areas of Punjab and Haryana in the past 24 hours, while it turned very active in Himachal Pradesh, especially in the catchment areas of the Sutlej and Beas rivers and adjoining Jammu and Kashmir.

The monsoon had arrived in Himachal Pradesh and the northern areas of Punjab and Haryana two days ahead of its normal schedule of June 29, its advance was stalled in rest of the North-West region for about a week in the absence of any thrust from the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.

Reports here said the rains were fairly widespread in and around Delhi, Ghaziabad, Saharanpur, Sirsa, Ambala, Karnal.

The widespread rains brought pleasant respite to the people from the battering hot weather and torrid humid conditions. Besides, the rains have brightened the prospects of the kharif crops, especially the recently transplanted paddy in this part of the country.

Shimla, recorded 69.8mm rain till this morning, while Kahu, with 193 mm was virtually inundated. RL-1700 (81.5mm), Kasol (80.2mm), Nangal Dam (78.6mm), Sujanpur Tira (69.5mm), Guler (51.2mm), Sunni (38mm), Sundernagar (18.2mm), Nadaun (15.5mm) and Nagrota Surian (16.30mm) were among the Himachal Pradesh stations reporting moderate to heavy rains.

Chandigarh and adjoining areas in Punjab and Haryana recorded 14mm rainfall in five hours ending 11.30 am. An overcast sky portends more rains over the next 24 hours.

While Patiala received 33.4mm rain, Ludhiana and Amritsar reported 4 and 1.8mm rain.

Delhites welcomed first monsoon rain as the National Capital Territory (NTR) received 63.7mm rainfall till 8.30 am today. Palam and the adjoining areas of Gurgaon had received 4 mm rain earlier.

Hisar bordering Rajasthan which had turned hottest in the region, received 29.6mm rain till this morning, bringing the much needed respite to the people.

While Jammu recorded 38 mm rainfall, Srinagar reported 6 mm rainfall.

Weathermen have warned of isolated heavy rainfall in the region, the region would have moderate to rather heavy rains over the next 48 hours. — UNI