64 districts in Uttar Pradesh have received less rain than usual this monsoon season, with many facing drought-like conditions. According to data from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), only 11 of the 75 UP districts received normal rainfall as of August 19.
While government officials claim that rain will cover the deficit in the coming days, farmers believe it is already too late. "Our crop is being harmed. "What will rain do later?" wonders Bhagat Pal, a small paddy farmer in the Jaunpur district of eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Paddy farmers have been particularly hard hit, first by rain delays and then by a lack of rain. Jaunpur is one of the districts that has received the least rain this monsoon. The district has received 74% less rainfall, according to IMD data. The district received only 123.2 mm of rain this monsoon season, compared to the long-period average (LPA) of 471.5 mm until August 19, and is classified as a large deficit region.
"Due to the monsoon delay, we had to postpone the paddy transplantation by more than a month." Many of us lost loved ones. Now, the paddy that we were able to transplant is being harmed by the lack of rain," said Kuljeet Singh of the Shahajahanpur district's Katra area.
According to experts, paddy farms should be submerged in at least a few inches of water for about a month after transplantation. Weeds grow in the absence of rain, and plant development suffers as a result.
The situation is particularly dire in East UP, where rainfall is 50% lower than the LPA. Farrukhabad in Uttar Pradesh has received 80% less rainfall. Thirty-nine districts in Uttar Pradesh have received less than 50% of normal rainfall.
In light of the situation, BJP MP Harish Dewedi and MLA Vir Vikrama Singh have written to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, requesting that Shahajahanpur, Basti, and East UP be declared drought-affected areas. This comes after the CM directed officials in July to develop a plan of action to address the rain deficit.
Officials at the district level have been directed to maintain contact with farmers and agricultural scientists in order to provide farmers with accurate information on how to deal with the situation. Uttar Pradesh Relief Commissioner Ranvir Prasad stated that the government is monitoring the situation and declaring the drought premature.
"We are closely monitoring every aspect of the monsoon, and data is being collected on a daily basis." Rainfall has decreased, but it is too early to declare a drought because we are still in the sowing season," he said.
The officer stated that any decision to declare a drought will be made in accordance with established protocols following the October monsoon. Until then, the departments involved have been asked to make plans to ensure that farmers can irrigate their fields.
While officials claim to be doing everything possible to mitigate the effects of decreased rainfall, farmers complain that nothing is being done on the ground.
"The canal near our farms has dried up." We don't have enough money to irrigate paddy with diesel. The only hope is rain, but the gods appear to be displeased with us. "We've been left to watch our crops die and worry about our future," said Mohan Chand Verma, a Sitapur paddy farmer.
(Inputs from The Print)
