The Hindu : Orissa headed for a severe drought

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 17, 2002

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Orissa headed for a severe drought

BHUBANESWAR JULY 16. Orissa, which faced one of the worst floods in July last year, is now fast headed for a severe drought due to a weak monsoon and the resultant erratic rainfall since June 1.

``The situation will worsen and there will be heavy crop loss if the rain continued to fail the State in the coming seven days", the State Revenue Minister, Biswabhushan Harichandan, said today.

The prevailing drought situation was reviewed by the State Government and a series of decisions were taken to cope with the problem. It was decided that a preliminary report would be sent to the Centre highlighting the drought situation.

As many as 29 of the total 30 districts in the State had recorded deficient rainfall till now, Mr. Harichandan told presspersons. Koraput alone recorded normal rainfall.

The worst-hit districts are Rayagada, Kalahandi, Bolangir, Jharsuguda, Ganjam, Kandhamal, Jagatsinghpur and Bhadrak.

Mr. Harichandan said the State had received 189.77 mm rainfall between June 1 and July 10 against the normal of 564 mm during this period.

The annual average rainfall of the State was 1482 mm.

According to the State Agricultural Produce Commissioner, Sanjiv Hota, even when the State faced a severe drought in 2000, it had recorded 216.4 mm rainfall in June. This year, it was only 172.8 mm.

The situation in the first 10 days of this month was worse with only 23.7 mm rainfall as against the normal of 370 mm.

Paddy fields that would have been under knee-deep water were now parched.

In many areas, farmers are yet to start agricultural operations.

A total of 18,43,000 hectares has been covered by paddy and 69,000 hectares by pulses so far.

All the District Collectors will be asked to assess the funds requirement for employment generation and the food-for-work programme will be implemented extensively, giving a thrust to the renovation of water bodies. Traditional drinking water sources will also be renovated.

The Agriculture Department will prepare contingency plans and mobilise non-paddy seeds, and defunct lift irrigation points will be revived under the direct supervision of Collectors.

The monitoring of the Public Distribution System will be intensified.

The Revenue Divisional Commissioners will review the drought relief work in the districts on a regular basis so that adequate man-days are generated in food scarcity areas.

Work will start immediately and funds will be provided from the Calamity Relief Fund for drought relief.

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Orissa headed for a severe drought