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Orissa seems headed for 'super drought'

Bibhuti Mishra in Bhubaneshwar

After the super cyclone, Orissa seems destined for a super drought, as after the monsoon broke out in June there has been little rain.

This is unprecedented, according to the meterological office here.

While in June there was 70 per cent less rainfall in 15 districts, in the first week of July all 30 districts have been affected, and Bolangir has recorded an extraordinary dry spell with rainfall being 90 per cent less. This has given rise to fears that the state is headed for a drought.

Kalahandi is again at the forefront, with Bolangir. In June, Kalahandi received a meagre 131 mm of rainfall. More than 60,000 hectares of land, where a kharif crop had been raised, will be devastated unless there is an improvement in the coming week.

Coastal Orissa has also been reeling under a dry spell. Puri has received 15 mm rainfall, instead of the normal 76 mm and Cuttack has recorded only 13 mm, instead of the usual 73 mm.

Said agriculture secretary Raja Mani, "The situation is causing a lot of concern, although it is not yet alarming. If July continues to be dry, the situation is going to be very difficult for the state."

Mukundaprasad Mohapatra, a retired professor of the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, said, "It seems Orissa is again going to face the wrath of nature. The kharif crop will be badly affected and soon after the super cyclone the state can ill-afford a drought of this magnitude, as all districts will be affected this time."

Rainfall from January to August is crucial for the kharif crop.

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