Kharif crops in 5500 villages under threat in region

Nanded recorded the highest rainfall, while Beed recorded the lowest rainfall, so far.

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

Unlike other regions of the state, Marathwada has not received rainfall, this monsoon. It has received 42 per cent rainfall only in the past 58 days.

Of all the districts in the region, Nanded district recorded an average of 57 per cent (highest) rainfall, while Beed recorded the lowest showers. The situation in the remaining six districts is also pitiable.

It is observed that there is a shortage of rainfall by eight per cent compared to the average rainfall received in the region during June and July. However, the sowing operations of Kharip crops have been completed in the absence of rainfall and hope that the rain god will smile on the farmers.

There are 450 circles in Marathwada. The rainfall is measured in 8,500 villages of these circles. In the past two months (58 days), 148 circles received heavy rainfall, 2,890 villages received satisfactory rainfall, while the remaining 5,520 villages were unsatisfactory. The Kharip crops in these villages are reeling under danger for want of rain showers.

The average rainfall recorded from June to September (four months) is 679.5 mm, but 461 mm of rainfall was recorded last year. In the past 58 days, the region recorded 291.1 mm of rainfall. It was expected that there would be 340 mm of rainfall in June and July, but there emerged a shortfall of 50 mm of rainfall. The inadequate rainfall has indeed affected the sowing operations.

The water storage in 11 large, apart from 107 medium and 749 small projects, is very less and craves concern. A quantity of 475 MCM water got deposited in them in the last 58 days. During last year, there was 280 mm of rainfall in Godavari Valley to date.

Box

Status of water in major projects.

Name of Project - Water Storage (in percentage)

Jayakwadi - 29.79

Lower Dudhana - 27.87

Yeldari - 59.40

Siddheshwar - 32.94

Majalgaon - 16.28

Manjra - 24.48

Penganga - 59.49

Manar - 38.84

Lower Terna - 29.36

Vishnupuri - 52.20

Sina Kolegaon - 00.00

Box

Districtwise record of rainfall in the region.

Name of District - Rainfall recorded (in mm)

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar - 232

Jalna - 239

Beed - 207

Latur - 281

Dharashiv - 229

Nanded - 468

Parbhani - 249

Hingoli - 369

Total - 291