Region has experienced a lack of rainfall for the past 20 days
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The ongoing Kharif season in Marathwada is anticipated to suffer significant setbacks due to a prolonged dry spell. The Meteorological Department has reported that the region has experienced a lack of rainfall for the past 20 days, with no immediate relief expected for the next ten days. As a result, half of the month of August has passed without any significant precipitation, posing a dire challenge for the agricultural sector.
Out of the 73 days of the monsoon season, Marathwada witnessed dry conditions for a staggering 43 days, with rainfall observed on only 30 days. The month of June saw a mere seven days of rain, while July experienced intermittent showers for approximately 26 days. Insufficient and imbalanced rainfall during these critical months has already caused damage to Kharif season crops. The situation has been further exacerbated by the absence of heavy rainfall in August.
The consequence of low rainfall is reflected in the condition of 877 major, medium, and minor water projects across the division. Water storage levels are alarmingly low, necessitating heavy rainfall in the remaining days of the season to alleviate the crisis. Despite the Meteorological Department recording 49 percent of the annual average rainfall in the region, the sowing activities and water reservoirs have failed to benefit significantly.
Dry spell for Godavari catchment area
Adding to the concerns, the Godavari catchment area has experienced a complete absence of rainfall during the current monsoon season. This predicament has severely impacted the water stock in the Jayakwadi dam. Apart from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Ahmednagar, and Nashik has also remained rainless, posing a grave threat to the region's water resources.
Sowing affected in region
Sowing activities have been carried out on approximately 91 percent of the total land in the division. Out of the total area of 48.57 lakh hectares, sowing has been accomplished on 43.81 lakh hectares. Last year, sowing was conducted on 48.23 lakh hectares. Although the sowing rate stands at 91 percent, several areas have already reported crop yield losses due to the adverse weather conditions.