Chhattisgarh slipping into drought again

State gets 870 mm of rain since June 1, against average 1,300 mm; 65 of 150 tehsils approaching drought

Over 65 tehsils of the 150 in Chhattisgarh are reeling under drought-like situation following scanty rainfall.

As against the average rainfall of about 1,300 millimeters (mm), Chhattisgarh had received 870 mm of rains from June 1. Ironically, the rainfall till date was over 100 per cent as compared to the average rainfall in the state for the last 10 years during the corresponding period.

“The drought-like situation in many parts of the state prevails following non uniform distribution of rainfall,” a state government spokesperson said. It did not rain where water was required, he said, adding that excess rainfall in other parts resulted in flood and failure of crops.

Due to non-uniform distribution of rain, many paddy growing pocket in Chhattisgarh is reeling under severe water crises. Of the estimated kharif foodgrain output of 8.68 million tonnes this year, 7.6 million tonnes would be paddy, which has been a major crop of the state.

Chhattisgarh is among top ten paddy producing states in the country. The paddy production would be 16 per cent higher than last year’s production. A target had been set to take paddy crop in 3.6 million tonnes area that would be three per cent less that the area in which paddy was sown in kharif 2015.

Chief Minister Raman Singh reviewed the situation at a high level meeting and instructed the district collectors of worst-hit pocket to prepare a contingency plan if it did not rain for another 10 days. Experts however said a dry spell for another one week would plunge Chhattisgarh into severe drought.

The state experience drought last year also. In all, 117 tehsils in the state were officially declared as drought-hit last year.