Rainfall Data Makes Case for Drought Declaration in Telangana

Hyderabad: The cumulative rainfall data from June 1 last year to date pegs the rainfall deficit at over 20 per cent in some districts, accentuated by the 93 per cent rain shortfall in October of last year. Coupled with a 53.45 per cent deficit in the northeast monsoon, the situation has become dire in many mandals.

On declaring a drought, the government would need to provide giving input subsidy, reschedule crop loans and provide grass to cattle. The government must also provide drinking water to villages.

With mandal-wise rainfall deficit being the norm for identification of drought-hit mandals, farmers unions say the government should look at local conditions.

In case a drought is declared, the agriculture department has to suggest alternative crops to farmers and give technical guidance.

None of this was done during the period the rabi season started. The input subsidy payable to farmers is calculated as per norms of the state, Calamity Relief Fund and GOs issued by the government. In case of crop losses, the names of tenant farmers should be recorded to extend the input subsidy.

With the cumulative storage in all the major reservoirs down at 270.15 tmc ft (thousand million cubic feet) as on March 13, much less than last year and falling rapidly, drinking water requirements take precedence over agriculture.

The focus is now on a survey of crop losses owing to heavy rains under way in the Kamareddy, Nizamabad, Medak and Siddipet districts. It may be recalled that agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao had announced a compensation of  Rs.10,000 per acre for rain-hit farmers.

The government can avail Rs.495 crore allocated to the state under the State Disaster Risk Management Fund (SDRMF) for the year by the Fifteenth Finance Commission if the state allocates Rs.165 crore for the purpose. The fund can be used to provide Rs.10,000 to each of 6.6 lakh acres, said Sarampally Malla Reddy, vice-president, All India Kisan Sabha.

Kiran Vissa of the Rythu Swarajya Vedika said the situation had arisen owing to lack of planning and farmers being pushed towards paddy. When the agriculture department knew that rains were failing and the groundwater level would fall, it should have pushed alternative crops. It also had weather forecasts stating that the summer was going to be long and harsh.

“It was the mistake of the BRS government,” Vissa said. The government should write to the Centre citing the situation and avail funds accordingly.”

What it takes to call a drought?

20 per cent shortage of rains. Only Gadwal, Nagarkurnool and Nalgonda districts meet the norm, with 29, 27 and 20 per cent rainfall shorage respectively. Other worst affected districts are Khammam with a 16 per cent deficit rainfall, Suryapet 14 and Wanaparthy 10 per cent.

Dry spell: Absence of 2.5 mm rainfall for 21 days during the season.

Mild drought: No rain for 21 to 28 days

Moderate drought: No rain for 29 to 42 days

Severe drought: No rain for 43 days.

Agriculture department notes that there was no rain at all in January and 77 per cent and 98 per cent shortage in rain as on March 13.

Crucial data: Mandal-wise rainfall data, the number and extent of dry spells, area sown and crop damage of 33 per cent and above.

Footnote: The state has a history of drought. The government had identified 232 mandals as perennially affected of the 428 mandals then in existence in 2014.