Going by the official parameters, the sowing season in the tail-end Chittoor district will come to a close by July 15, though it may continue till the month-end at the risk of farmers.
Now, delay in the arrival of the southwest monsoon has led to a virtual panic among the farmers. The situation could be better presented considering the fact that only 40% of the two lakh-plus hectares of the land saw sowing of various crops, while the remaining part desperately awaits a drizzle or two, in the absence of which the farmers may say goodbye to the kharif crop.
Chittoor district, which experienced 76 mm deficit rainfall in the first week of May, continues to witness drought-like conditions all over, barring a few showers "unfit for the sowing season" at below the specified quantum, say below 1 mm.
The impact of delayed monsoon has prompted the groundnut farmers to stay away from sowing operations in several western mandals. the farmers of the eastern mandals could only dare to go for paddy and sugarcane, depending on borewells.
Joint Director (Agriculture) Vijay Kumar told The Hindu that so far (by July 11) only 40% of the land witnessed sowing in the district. "The weather forecast is so disturbing at present. No rains are round the corner till July-end. Of course, the sowing may continue for the next two weeks. We are preparing a contingency plan and the same would be operational from September first week, depending on the possibility of rains. The contingency plan targets alternative crops such as horse gram and fodder," the official said.
‘Alarming situation’
On the drinking water front, the situation is considered "alarming". Superintending Engineer (Rural Water Works) Venu said that at present close to 3,650 habitations are being supplied with drinking water through tankers. "This is excluding the municipal corporations and municipalities. If there are no rains in the coming days, it will be very difficult to cope up with the situation," he said.
In all the municipalities of Nagari, Puttur, Palamaner, Punganur and Madanapalle, the civic bodies are left with no choice but to supply drinking water to the public once in a week, limiting it to two tubs to each household. The saving grace is that the Srikalahasti municipality is less affected by the delayed monsoon as far as drinking water crisis is concerned.
