Date:05/10/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/10/05/stories/2005100502021900.htm

Back Jharkhand, Bihar post worst monsoon records

Vinson Kurian

Thiruvananthapuram , Oct. 4

FOUR met subdivisions in the east of the country with cumulative rainfall will need to be supported by with appropriate Governmental interventions in order that the adverse climatic impact is minimised to the extent possible.

The four met subdivisions that have consistently been in the red are Jharkhand (36 per cent), Nagaland-Manipur-Mizoram-Tripura (NMMT, 27 per cent), Assam & Meghalaya (24 per cent) and Bihar (21 per cent), says monsoon report by the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF).

Based on statistics valid up to September 28 (two days ahead of monsoon officially drawing to a close), the NCMRWF report said that both NMMT and Assam & Meghalaya held `good prospects' of improving their record over the week that ensued (as corroborated by the ongoing wet session in these parts). But Jharkhand and Bihar are `gone cases,' the report said.

The realised rainfall totted up to 99 per cent as on September 28, bringing down the deficit to just one per cent. But the spatial distribution of rainfall left a lot to be desired. Northwest India (-10 per cent) and Northeast India (-21 per cent) fell under the deficient category while Central India (+11 per cent) and South India (+12 per cent) returned rainfall surpluses. Of the 36 subdivisions countrywide, nine were surplus, 23 normal and the rest four deficient.

The erratic pattern in rainfall was evident even during the latest week of the season for which data was available, with precipitation in seven subdivisions dipping by margins ranging from four per cent to nine per cent. These subdivisions (with rainfall variations in percentage figures brackets) are Gangetic West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir and Tamil Nadu & Pondicherry (four each); Telengana (five); Rayalaseema (nine); North Interior Karnataka (five) and South Interior Karnataka (seven).

In its advisory, the NCMRWF said authorities would do well to ensure irrigation requirements for standing crops in the affected areas and make available adequate power, fodder and irrigation water. Regular employment and other livelihood options should also be considered on a war footing.

There were 10 districts in Tamil Nadu and three in Kerala that recorded a deficiency of 20 per cent or more. Tuticorin (41 per cent); Kanchipuram (38 per cent) and Villupuram (35 per cent) topped the table in Tamil Nadu.