Telangana Government Examines Drought Declaration for 230 Mandals
It was reliably learnt that the government was examining the existing conditions at the local level to prepare a list of mandals that could be declared as drought affected.
Hyderabad: A third of Telangana is reported to be experiencing drought-like conditions this year with the El Nino-hit southwest monsoon season leaving several parts of the state with severe rainfall deficits.
It was reliably learnt that the government was examining the existing conditions at the local level to prepare a list of mandals that could be declared as drought affected.
According to sources, it was likely that around 230 of the state’s 621 mandals could be declared drought-hit, and it was expected that an official announcement could be made either this week, or the coming week.
As on Tuesday, as per the Telangana Development and Planning Society, more than half of the mandals – 312 — in the state were in the deficit rainfall category with the deficits ranging from minus-59 per cent to minus-20 per cent.
One mandal, Waddepalle in Jogulamba Gadwal district, was currently in the large deficit category receiving minus-69 per cent – or just 136.5 mm — of its normal 435 mm rainfall during this monsoon season so far.
If Telangana did declare a drought, it would be the second time in its history after a reluctant then BRS government did so in November 2015, declaring a drought in 231 mandals, with the then Opposition parties – the BJP and the Congress – accusing it of dilly-dallying on the declaration which they said, resulted in the state losing out on crucial Central aid.
The neighbouring Karnataka and Maharashtra governments have already declared drought in 177 and 265 of their taluks respectively.
Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan announced on Monday in New Delhi that Central teams will visit the two states for an assessment of the drought conditions
The situation this year, as per rainfall data from the TGDPS, indicated that Telangana could be precariously placed with respect to rainfall deficits in the 2016-27 crop season and feeling the impact of El Nino on the monsoon season, which currently is on its last legs and already begun withdrawing from north-west India.
Though Telangana had an average statewide rainfall deficit of minus-16 per cent, this overall figures hid the thin line that many mandals were on, many of which were already reeling under significant rainfall deficits.
Eighteen mandals were hovering around the ‘large deficient’ category – when rainfall is between minus-60 and minus-99 per cent of the normal — with their cumulative deficits ranging between minus-50 and minus-59 per cent, while another 57 mandals had deficits between minus-40 and minus-49 per cent.
Another 106 mandals recorded deficits ranging from minus-30 to minus-39 per cent and 125 mandals had cumulative deficits between -20 and -29 per cent.
The Rain Story So far
Rainfall from June 1 – Districts – Mandals
Large excess (60% plus) – 0 – 1
Excess (+20% to +59%) – 0 – 39
Normal (+19% to -19%) – 16 – 268
Deficient (-20% to -59%) – 17 – 312
Large deficient (-60% to -99%) – 0 – 1
The Breakdown
Deficient districts – (-20% to -59% rainfall) Adilabad, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Hanamkonda, Hyderabad, Jangaon, Jogulamba Gadwal, Khammam, Mahbubnagar, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Nagarkurnool, Nalgonda, Narayanpet, Suryapet, Vikarabad, Wanaparthy, Warangal, Yadadri-Bhoingir.
Normal districts – (+19% to -19% rainfall) Jagtial, JS Bhupalapally, Kamareddy, Karimnagar, KB Asifabad, Mahabubabad, Mancherial, Medak, Mulugu, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Peddapalli, Rajanna Siricilla, Ranga Reddy, Sangareddy, Siddipet .
