M A I N   N E W S

Cheers! Monsoon on its way to North
Pre-monsoon showers hit region; Met predicts heavy rains in next 48 hrs
Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service

Northern region got drenched on Sunday. A Tribune photograph

New Delhi, July 4
After a hiatus of almost a fortnight, the southwest monsoon, crucial for India’s agriculture-driven economy, appears to be getting back on the track, bringing much-needed relief to the people and the policy makers of the country that is fighting rising food inflation after last year’s drought.

Widespread rains lashed Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh on Sunday, bringing the mercury considerably down. Showers lashed the Capital too. Officials of the Met Department are now hopeful that the monsoon will cover the remaining parts of the country in next three to four days.

“The northwest India was today hit by pre-monsoon showers. Monsoon will cover the entire region in the next three to four days,” IMD director BP Yadav told the Tribune.

According to the weatherman, fairly widespread to widespread rain or thundershowers would occur in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, East Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand during the next 48 hours.

Currently, the Northern Limit of Monsoon is passing through Jawai Dam, Bhilwara, Sawaimadhopur, Gwalior, Khajuraho, Daltonganj, Gaya, Muzaffarpur Raxaul and Dharchula, Met officials said, adding that conditions were becoming favourable for further advance of monsoon into remaining parts of the country.

“Southwest monsoon has further advanced into remaining parts of Gujarat, most parts of Madhya Pradesh and some more parts of southeast Rajasthan and some parts of south Uttar Pradesh,” said Met officials.

However, the Met Department has warned that advance of monsoon over parts of Uttar Pradesh may be feeble, which is not a good news for the state that accounts for largest sugarcane output in the country and also contributes to the central paddy kitty along with Punjab and Haryana.

The monsoon rains have been 16 per cent below normal for this season. The rains have remained stuck around central India, not advancing much since June 18.

The lull in the progress has already hit the sowing of pulses, soybean and paddy in areas of MP and UP.

Even though largely irrigated, India’s grain bowl —-Punjab and Haryana —- is also eagerly awaiting the rains. Meanwhile, the Agriculture Ministry has called a meeting on Monday to review kharif sowing and be ready with alternate plans to save the summer crops.