M A I N   N E W S

Dismal monsoon: Haryana, parts of Punjab face drought
Pradeep Sharma & Sanjeev Singh Bariana/TNS

Chandigarh, July 17
While monsoon plays hide and seek in the region, the spectre of drought seems to be a distinct possibility in Haryana and certain parts of Punjab.

Haryana seems to be the worst-affected as there has been an average rainfall deficit of 46.4 per cent till today. The deficiency varies from 33.3 per cent (111.3 mm) in Yamunanagar to 90.7 per cent (9 mm) in Panipat, say sources.

The districts that have reported highly deficit rainfall include Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s home district Rohtak 81.7 (19.5 mm), Sirsa 77 per cent (12.6 mm), Mahendragarh 62.0 per cent (31.4 mm), Fatehabad 61 per cent (22.3 mm), Kaithal 57 per cent (30 mm), Jhajjar 54.7 per cent (39.6 mm), Panchkula 51.9 per cent (86.2 mm) and Mewat 50.7 per cent (45.2 mm).

This deficiency is expected to adversely affect the sowing of kharif crops such as paddy, maize, jawar, cotton, pulses and oilseeds in the state, taking its toll on the area under cultivation and production.

The input costs, particularly for paddy transplantation that requires repeated watering, will go up substantially for the power-deficit state, the sources say.

But state’s Principal Secretary (Agriculture) Roshan Lal maintains there is no need to panic as the Meteoreological Department has predicted normal rainfall for the state this year.

The Agriculture Department will wait for some more days to chalk out a contingency plan in case of highly deficient rainfall. The preparation of a contingency plan now will create unnecessary panic among farmers,” he says.

The other districts with deficient rainfall include Kurukshetra 48.8 per cent (56.8 mm), Faridabad 48.7 per cent (56.7 mm), Sonepat 48.4 per cent (55 mm), Gurgaon 45 per cent (51 mm), Karnal 45.4 per cent (59.2 mm), Jind 44.3 per cent (43.5 mm), Hisar 41.4 per cent (38.2 mm), Bhiwani 38.3 per cent (43.4 mm).

While Ambala had a surplus rainfall of 18.7 per cent (200.3 mm), Rewari 4 per cent (79 mm) and Palwal 20.6 per cent (69.8 mm) recorded marginal deficiency in rainfall from July 1 to 17. At least four districts of Punjab, including Ludhiana, Muktsar, Bathinda and Mansa, have also recorded highly deficient rainfall.

Impending threat

* Haryana faces drought with average rainfall deficiency of 46.4%

* Rainfall deficit highest in Panipat (90.7%) followed by Rohtak 81.7 & Sirsa (77%)

* Four Punjab districts, including Ludhiana, also face drought-like situation

* Rise in input costs, particularly of paddy transplantation, likely