A normal monsoon, says weatherman

By M. Malleswara Rao

HYDERABAD, OCT. 5. The South-West monsoon season came to a close on September 30 but Andhra Pradesh did not benefit much. In fact, the State suffered a rainfall deficit of 16 per cent notwithstanding the recent heavy wet spell.

The State is presumed to have received ``normal rainfall'' for the season despite this shortfall as, only a deviation from the normal by 19 per cent on the plus or minus side is treated as ``excess'' or ``deficit'' under the met terminology. The ground reality, however, is that damage has been done already to crops and power generation while there is a little improvement regarding drinking water and fodder for cattle.

The gain by the State was 526 mm against a normal of 624 mm for the period. Among the regions, Coastal Andhra suffered the maximum deficit at 17 per cent with 512 mm being its realisation compared to the normal of 619 mm. Rayalaseema fared better towards the end of the season, restricting the deficit to mere 9 per cent having received 370 mm while its normal for the last 50 years has been 407 mm. Telangana had a shortfall of 16 per cent with realisation and normal rates being 601 mm and 715 mm respectively.

The rainfall data collected at 1,126 mandal headquarters and compiled and analysed by the Bureau of Economics and Statistics show that there was no district which recorded excess rain (implying more than 19 per cent of the normal rate), while the rainfall was ``normal'' in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Krishna, Guntur, Chittoor, Cuddapah, Anantapur, Kurnool, Mahabubnagar, Ranga Reddy, Hyderabad, Nizamabad, Adilabad, Khammam and Nalgonda.

The rainfall was ``deficient'' (from minus 20 per cent to minus 59 per cent) in seven districts -- Prakasam, Nellore, Medak, Karimnagar, Warangal, East and West Godavari. Interestingly, Anantapur which is called the desert district, was on the plus side by 6 per cent and Hyderabad (Urban) by 5 per cent whereas West Godavari topped the deficit districts with a shortfall of 33 per cent followed by Medak (29 per cent) and Karimnagar and Nellore (each 27 per cent). In no district, the rainfall was ``scanty'' which means a departure of 60-99 per cent on the negative side.

Any specific reason for the shortages? The Director for State Met Office here, Mr. C. V. V. Bhadram, points out lack of weather systems such as depressions and low pressure areas led to ``scattered'' rain during the season.

A positive signal was available when the monsoon advanced into the State on June 4 as if fulfilling the India Meteorological Department's forecast about its being normal, but soon the hopes dwindled with the dry spell taking over. The rain in July which is crucial to agriculture was from ``deficient to scanty.'' Government reports suggest that out of the 2 crore-acre of cultivable land, 40 lakh acres were left fallow. With little or no inflows, only 50 per cent of the 56 lakh acres under major irrigation projects like Nagarjunasagar was sown, says the Irrigation Secretary, Mr C. V. S. K. Sarma. Following little improvement now, plans are afoot now to cover Zone II and III of Nagarjunasagar by way of releases from Srisailam.

The loss of electricity generation for the season has been put at 1,095 million units with Srisailam which contributes 70 per cent of hydel power along with Nagarjunasagar, receiving hardly 242 tmcft by September-end against an expected quantum of 746 tmcft. With Nagarjunasagar not improving as yet, the hydel shortfall is expected to be around 2,500 mu.

The heavy rain towards the season-end helped Srisailam, Jurala and Thungabhadra, leaving out Nagarjunasagar under the Krishna basin, and projects like Sriramsagar, Singur and Manjira in the Godavari system, not touching Nizamsagar. The projects under the Pennar basin such as Somasila and Kandaleru in Nellore and Chittoor districts have not benefited at all.

Mr Bhadram doesn't keep much hope on the North-East monsoon, to set in soon, because it covers only Chittoor, Nellore and Prakasam districts in the State apart from parts of Tamil Nadu.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : One more jewel in city's crown
Next     : Consumers make a beeline to Transco camps