Though it is somewhat distressing that this is the second consecutive year that could witness a less than normal monsoon, the news should not spread panic (“ >Rain forecast, a gamble on monsoon ”, June 4). There are sufficient buffer stocks of food grains that can be released at the appropriate time to quell inflation. Examination of IMD data shows that the shortfall will be greater in the granary States of Haryana and Punjab. The government must focus its relief measures there, which should be manageable. What deficient monsoon years require is timely state intervention in maintaining the availability of food grains, in addition to a drought-year dole for farmers in the affected regions.
J.S. Acharya,
Hyderabad
The rain forecast Cassandras have already created panic by predicting the “12th worst drought since 1950”. The “experts” have caused enough confusion already. The high-sounding Earth System Science Organization and the India Meteorological Department have forecast just 88 per cent of rain yield for the SW monsoon. A private forecaster, “which got its forecast right every year since it started in 2012,” is “sticking to its predictions”. A Union Minister blames climate change. If El Niño hits the country, some regions will experience intense drought conditions while other regions will have severe floods due to heavy rains, both of which will hit the farmer.
C.V. Venugopalan,
Palakkad
