With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday ruling out the possibility of any significant rainfall in the State till the end of August, drought seems to have become imminent. 

IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra told media persons that 27 districts of the State have received 33 per cent less than the normal rainfall from June to August and deficit rainfall in August was 55 per cent. The rainfall this monsoon is normal in only Koraput, Malkangiri and Nuapada districts. 

Normally, monsoon rain in Odisha is triggered by low pressure over Bay of Bengal. On an average, 13 low pressures were formed between June and August. Widespread rainfall was reported from across the State in July due to five low pressures. 

However, the intensity of rainfall decreased due to the weakening of the low pressure system in August. Though two low pressures occured, one triggered rains in some parts of the State while the other moved to Bangladesh. 

The low pressure that formed off southern Odisha coast was active and the rainfall under its impact was limited to two to three days as the system weakened, said Mohapatra. There will be no noticeable change in the situation in the State as there are no possibilities of formation of a low pressure system in the next five days. 

However, he did not comment if the situation will improve in September. The IMD will make its forecast by August 31 or September first week. 

Agriculture Secretary S K Vashishth on Monday cautioned that it would be difficult to save crops in 30 blocks of 15 districts where the situation is grim due to moisture stress conditions. If the dry spell continues beyond August, more blocks, particularly rain fed areas, will be affected. 

The State government has given 10 days time to district collectors to prepare a contingency plan to save kharif crops from the impending drought. 

Source – https://www.newindianexpress.com