The Hindu : Monsoon misses its date again

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 15, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Monsoon misses its date again

By Our Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM JUNE 14. With the winds getting strengthened, the South-West monsoon is likely to hit coastal Andhra by next week.

Though the possibility of a normal monsoon has started receding due to its delayed onset, meteorological officials say its impact will depend on the quantum of rainfall during the total monsoon period. The arrival of the monsoon has already been delayed by two weeks and as per indications available, it will be delayed by another week.

The monsoon should have hit the Nellore coast on June 1 as per the projections. The monsoon trough which should have been extended up to Nagapatnam on the east coast has to move towards Chennai for advancement of the monsoon in the State.

``The strengthening of the winds is a positive sign. Hence, there is a possibility that monsoon rain will lash some time next week,'' the Cyclone Warning Centre Director, J.V.M. Naidu, told The Hindu on Saturday.

Pre-monsoon thundershowers were experienced at various places of the State on Saturday. While Podili in Prakasam district received the highest 8 cm rainfall followed by Suryapet 4 cm., Hyderabad 3 cm and Kakinada 2 cm.

``This can't be treated as onset of monsoon as the showers were felt in an isolated manner,'' Dr. Naidu said suggesting that the trend might become significant in a few days.

On clouds hovering over Visakhapatnam and their failure to transform into rainfall, he said that so far, the city and its neighbourhood had been experiencing only short spells of drizzle. "The moisture build-up is not much to result in rainfall. However, the trend now is encouraging. The area of moisture build-up which was restricted to 2 to 3 sq.km. over last few days, is now extended to 4 to 5 sq.km.,'' he pointed out.

Admitting that the monsoon trend was not in full bloom, Dr. Naidu advised farmers to take up drought-resistant crops as part of contingency plan following the expectation that there would be prolonged absence of rain during the current monsoon period.

``Instead of growing paddy extensively, ryots should opt for short-duration commercial crops,'' he felt.

Dr. Naidu, along with the noted environmentalist, T. Shivaji Rao, who are known as strong advocates for cloud-seeding to increase the levels of groundwater, said that with 65 per cent irrigation depending on rain, it would be a better option to go for artificial rains in a big way in all districts.

For the time being, he said, the deadwater storage in Nagarjunasagar and other major reservoirs should be explored to pump out water as was being done from Yeleru canal to meet the drinking water requirement in a large number of areas.

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