It is final that the June-September monsoon will be below average at 93 per cent of the long period average.
It was earlier expected to be 95 per cent. Fortunately, if newspaper reports are to be believed, the government is already taking steps to meet the fallout of the impending monsoon deficit and the effects of El Nino.
Reports indicate there have been warnings against hoarding, and against strengthening the Essential Commodities Act, but no one in authority has said how it will be implemented. Since water shortage will be acute, the government will need a blueprint to tackle the problem.
One of the most important things would be to handle the water tanker mafia that makes a killing out of the hardships of the people. Tanker owners are mostly politicians and their cronies. The ruling
BJP can use its massive cadre to monitor hoarders and tanker owners. In addition to this is the distribution of cheap loans and seeds, besides being in constant communication with the farming community both in irrigated and non-irrigated areas.
Nothing can be more invigorating to the farmers in distress than having their Prime Minister talking to them or them telling him about help not arriving.
