Close X
Thursday, October 31, 2024
ADVT 
India

Punjab, Haryana hit by poor rainfall

Darpan News Desk Darpan, 20 Jul, 2014 07:22 AM
    Punjab and Haryana, the country's food bowl, have received deficient to scanty rainfall in most parts this year, Met officials said Sunday.
     
    Despite rains in some areas in both states in the past three days, the overall picture this monsoon season has not been really a happy one.
     
    "Rainfall in Punjab from June 1 indicates the state has received 69.9 mm of rainfall against its normal 154.4 mm, with a deviation of minus 55 percent," a senior Met department official said here.
     
    Punjab received 49.4 mm of rainfall against 101.9 mm, with a deviation of minus 55 percent, in July. Monsoon was to hit the state July 1.
     
    Only Muktsar district in south-west Punjab, affected by water-logging, received normal to excess rain. Other districts got deficient to scanty rainfall, especially in the monsoon month of July.
     
    The agriculturally fertile Malwa belt (south of river Sutlej) was the worst hit. 
     
    Barnala (minus 88 percent), Sangrur (minus 85), Mansa (minus 85), Ferozepur (minus 80), Fatehgarh Sahib (minus 76) and Patiala (minus 64) were the worst affected districts. 
     
    In the Majha belt (north of river Beas), Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts were rain deficient by minus 79 and 78 per ent respectively this month.
     
    "Latest weather forecast available suggests subdued rainfall activity in Punjab in the next two-three days, with only isolated thundercloud/rain in pockets. 
     
    "However, most global models further suggest strengthening of monsoonal systems with some good monsoon rains in central and north India, including Punjab July 23-24. Also, there are indications of better rainfall in subsequent two weeks (July 22-Aug 15)," the Met office said.
     
    "Rainfall in Haryana (in the same period) indicates that state has received 80.7 mm of rainfall against its normal of 141.1 mm, with a deviation of minus 43 percent," the official added.
     
    In Haryana, only Jhajjar, Faridabad and Gurgaon districts have had normal rainfall.
     
    "In the past 24 hours, north-eastern and south eastern Haryana districts received good rainfall," the Met official said.
     
    In July, Haryana has received 49.4 mm of rainfall against the normal of 101.9 mm, a deviation of minus 55 per cent.
     
    Punjab and Haryana contribute nearly 70 percent of foodgrain to the national kitty annually.
     
    Rainfall is very important for farmers in July as sowing of paddy is at its peak and the crop requires a lot of water in the first month.
     
    "Though rainfall is good in this season, there is no cause for alarm as most areas in Punjab have a good network of irrigation canals which can bail out farmers," a senior agriculture department official told IANS. 

    MORE India ARTICLES

    HSGPC row: Badal meets Modi as Haryana remains defiant

    HSGPC row: Badal meets Modi as Haryana remains defiant
    Upset at the controversy over setting up of a separate board to oversee Sikh gurdwaras in Harayana, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi Friday to seek the central government's intervention.

    HSGPC row: Badal meets Modi as Haryana remains defiant

    Clinton spends two hours in Lucknow village, also meets Akhilesh

    Clinton spends two hours in Lucknow village, also meets Akhilesh
    Former US president Bill Clinton arrived here Thursday afternoon to participate in a social activity in Jabrauli, a village on the outskirts of the state capital.

    Clinton spends two hours in Lucknow village, also meets Akhilesh

    Pakistani troops fire again at Indian post in Jammu

    Pakistani troops fire again at Indian post in Jammu
    Panic gripped Indian villages along the international border in Jammu and Kashmir Thursday evening as heavy firing exchanges took place again between the Pakistan Rangers and the Border Security Force (BSF), officials said here.

    Pakistani troops fire again at Indian post in Jammu

    Delhi BJP legislator sends legal notice to Kejriwal

    Delhi BJP legislator sends legal notice to Kejriwal
    A Delhi BJP legislator Thursday asked AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to pay Rs.1 crore in damages for tarnishing the party's image by making "baseless" allegations of horse-trading against it.

    Delhi BJP legislator sends legal notice to Kejriwal

    Modi speaks to Merkel, invites her to visit India

    Modi speaks to Merkel, invites her to visit India
    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on the phone Thursday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during his transit halt at Frankfurt on his way back home from the BRICS summit in Brazil and both leaders invited each other for official visits.

    Modi speaks to Merkel, invites her to visit India

    Sushma exhorts NRIs to assist in India's progress

    Sushma exhorts NRIs to assist in India's progress
    External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Thursday called upon NRIs to work for the reconstruction of the country, and said Indians living abroad endorse the NDA government as their "own".

    Sushma exhorts NRIs to assist in India's progress