India's 235 districts likely to face drought
After suffering through floods, India is now facing a prospect of drought. Almost 235 districts may face droughts as the monsoon season deficit is currently 6.2% of normal. These districts have monsoon shortfall of 20%, 9 of which have acute deficits of 60%. UP, Haryana and MP will be hardest hit with deficits of 31%, 28%, and 25%, respectively. Here's more!
More than 20% of normal rainfall accounts as excessive rainfall and deficient rainfall is when there is a shortage by -20% to -40% of normal; below this accounts for scanty rainfall.
With a 6% rain deficit, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, the food bowls of India received almost 36% less rainfall, hitting their output. Parts of Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala saw less rainfall than past years and could be drought-ridden for the third consecutive year. The GDP grew by 5.7% (7.9% in 2015-16) and is the slowest since NDA came to power.
With impending droughts, the state governments are already prepping up. In Madhya Pradesh (with 30% less rain) a committee has been constituted to assess the intensity of drought. Rajasthan too has commissioned a committee to consider the farmers' loan waivers and compensation. Karnataka and Kerala have ordered drought surveys and Maharashtra has initiated the process to start providing compensation to its distressed farmers.
The deficit rain can be attributed to the absence of low-pressure circulations post-July in the Indian and Pacific oceans. Meteorologists believe that the climate change is to be blamed for the erratic rainfall. A typical break-monsoon where there is heavy rainfall followed by continued dry spells in between is an occurrence associated with climate change.
