Hyderabad: Despite overall excess rainfall and several cyclonic storms lashing the state in 2013, several mandals remain parched. The state government on Friday declared 119 mandals in seven districts as drought-affected due to dry spells, reduction in yield and rainfall deficiency.
Anantapur has the highest number of drought-hit mandals (59) followed by Chittoor (33) and YSR Kadapa (16). The disaster management wing of the revenue department has finalised the list of mandals based on the reports submitted by the district collectors on droughts in the state during the south-west monsoon season in 2013. Andhra Pradesh has received a rainfall of 634.1 mm as against a normal rainfall of 624.1 mm with an excess of two per cent.
As per the rules, the parametres for declaration of drought should be examined with regard to deficiency in rainfall, reduction in the cropped areas, reduction in yields, dry spells, normal vegetative differential index (NVDI) and moisture adequacy index (MAI).
Out of the four parameters, the first one of rainfall deficiency is compulsory besides any other two for the area to be declared as drought-hit.
A committee constituted by government finance, planning, agriculture, IMD and Agro Climate Research Centre, commissioner of disaster management and others have finalised the list.
Mandals in Anantapur,Chittoor, YSR Kadapa, Vizianagaram, Mahbubnagar, Medak and Nalgonda have been declared as drought-affected on the basis of the dry spells, reduction in yield area, apart from rainfall deficiency, MAI, NDVI and general situation in the mandals.
