Staring at drought

Santosh Dhawale of the Hadgaon village, says, “This is a drought in the rainy season itself. There has been a month since a mild rainfall. I can’t water my fields.’’ Dhawale witnessed his 3 acre cotton crop dying due to delayed rainfall. Santosh and many other farmers across the state are staring at a drought situation in the coming months and a brief spell of rain in past two months has hampered the Kharip crops in Marathwada and Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.

By the end of this month only 13.9 percent rainfall from the average was recorded in Marathwada. It is the end of the September but rounds of almost 155 tankers are still active in Jalna and Aurangabad to supply drinking water in 142 villages. Baliram  Chavan from Gosavi Pangari, a village which stands on the border of Marathwada and Vidarbha says, “I had sown Soyabean in 6 acre. Due to the dry situation since last month, the plants could not grow properly. Now they are turning yellowish. I cannot even bare the labour cost to uproot this crop from my fields.’’

_{Yogesh Karande, Beed}

Vast areas in tehsils of Renapur, Aousa, Chakur, Jalkot, Shirur Anantpal, Nilanga, Udgir, Ahmadpur and Devni in the Latur district have seen farmers suffer huge losses in the Soyabean crop.

“Earlier there were predictions that we would get yield of 100 bags of Soyabean an acre. Now there is no certainty if we’ll be getting even 30 bags or less than that. If the Kharip season gives you some economic stability, only then one can sow the rabbi crop. But with so little rains, the next cuc;es are going to be hard,’’ says Rajkumar Sastapure of the Shetkari Sanghatana from Latur. He further adds saying, “The government should urgently conduct surveys by revenue officials so that farmers would get compensation.”

Last year, Monsoons began their withdrawal journey on September 27. According to Skymet Weather, a private meteorology firm operating all over India. With prevailing conditions, it is expected that this year Monsoons will start retreating earliest by the fag end of September. In fact, there are chances that this might roll over to October.

A prolonged stay of the Monsoons might sound as good news, but it comes with some repercussions too.

When the commencement of the withdrawal of Monsoon is delayed, the whole process might take a month’s time. Now this would further delay the onset of the next season.

“This delay would also push forward the onset of winters over the region. With El Nino all set to make appearance by the end of the year, we can expect further impact on the next year's season, which will turn mild due to these current factors.” Says Skymet Weather.