Dry spell hits Uttarakhand

Alarm bells have started ringing in Uttarakhand in the wake of a long dry spell that has threatened to affect wheat and other rabi crops in the hills.

During the past three months, scanty rainfall has been reported in areas like Tehri, while others have gone mostly dry. India Meteorological Department (Met) Director Anand Sharma told Business Standard that only 39 mm of rain occurred during the period, which was 55 per cent less than the normal.

Sharma said the dry spell was more severe in Kumaon region, as Garhwal received scanty rainfall early this month. The Met office has asked the state government to assess the situation.

But Sharma expressed hope that a new western disturbance (WD) system was being formed in the next two to three days, which might bring rains in the state. “Let’s us hope for the best,” he said.

When contacted, Agriculture Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said he has asked his department to ascertain which were the areas affected by the dry spell.

However, Rawat said the situation was not serious, since most of the plain areas were not dependent on the rainfall. Only small farmers in the hills are dependent on rains, he said.

Nevertheless, he added the agriculture department was keeping a close watch on the situation and was holding a series of meetings in this regard.

Officials the state said wheat and potatoes were the main crops, which might be affected by the dry spell in the hills.