M A I N   N E W S

Happy tidings: Monsoon hits Kerala
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 5
Tuesday came with two good things on the World Environment Day: the southwest monsoon is on course. And as if on a cue, light showers greeted large parts of north India, as a happy precursor to the good news from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Crucial for India’s farm-dependent economy, the long awaited monsoon rains finally arrived over the southwest coast. Though the rains missed the official date (June 1 with an error margin of four days), the arrival raised hopes that all would perhaps go well henceforth. The rains normally hit the Kerala coast on June 1 and last until the end of September, covering India and neighbouring countries.

Announcing its arrival over Kerala, the IMD said the monsoon made good progress, advancing into remaining parts of south Arabian Sea, some parts of central Arabian Sea, remaining parts of the Maldives and Comorin areas, entire Kerala, some parts of coastal Karnataka, south Tamil Nadu and some more parts of south and east central Bay of Bengal.

The Northern Limit of Monsoon (NLM) is currently passing through Mangalore, Medikeri, Kodaikanal. The conditions are favourable for its further advance into some more parts of central Arabian Sea, remaining parts of coastal Karnataka, Goa, south Konkan, south Madhya Maharashtra and interior Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu during the next 48 hours.

The rain strength, however, was moderate. The long-term forecasts says an average monsoon this year but there are also apprehensions of EL Nino (which is marked by a rise in temperatures in certain regions of the Pacific Ocean) conditions developing in August-September.

Monsoon accounts for almost all the annual rain in 75% of the geographical area and 78% of the gross cropped area in the country.

The rain factor

• 78% of the gross cropped area in India is dependent on monsoon
• Long-term forecast is for normal rains, but the fear of EL Nino looms
• A bad year can spell financial disaster for millions of farmers. A poor monsoon can slow down economy and rural consumption