Chhattisgarh declares 50 more tehsils drought hit

The Chhattisgarh government has declared 50 tehsils in nine districts as drought-affected after finding the crop yield per acre falling below 37 paise. Earlier on August 28, the state government had declared 66 tehsils across the 12 districts in the state as drought-affected following visual assessment of crop yield.

Based on the final Anewari (crop yield) for the kharif year 2009, the 50 tehsils have been declared drought-hit, a senior official revenue and disaster management department said.

Of the affected tehsils, maximum nine each are from Durg and Rajnandgaon districts, sources said. Seven tehsils in the worst Naxal-infested district of Dantewada have also been declared drought-hit.

Official sources said under Section 144 of the Chhattisgarh land revenue code 1959, the state government had suspended revenue collection in the affected tehsils till further order.

The delay in arrival of monsoon coupled with erratic rainfall had been attributed as reasons for crop failure in the 50 tehsils. Productivity of paddy in other parts of the state had come down to 1,400 kilogram (kg) per hectare as against last year's 1,517 kg per hectare.