D.K. Shivakumar seeks Central team to assess drought situation in Karnataka
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to depute a Central team to assess the emerging drought situation in Karnataka
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to depute a Central team to assess the emerging drought situation in Karnataka. In his letter, the Chief Minister cited a widespread rainfall deficit, low reservoir storage and growing concerns over agriculture, drinking water availability and rural livelihoods. Shivakumar said an assessment by a Central team would help evaluate the severity of the evolving drought situation on the ground, reassure the farming community and facilitate timely assistance from the Union government. Drought-prone State Karnataka is among the country’s most drought-prone States because of its agro-climatic and hydrological characteristics, the Chief Minister said. Nearly 77% of the State falls under arid and semi-arid regions, while about 84.79 lakh hectares of agricultural land is rain-fed, making crop production heavily dependent on the southwest monsoon.
Around 74% of the State’s annual rainfall is received during the monsoon season, making it highly vulnerable to rainfall variability and prolonged dry spells, he said. Referring to the India Meteorological Department’s forecast of below-normal rainfall due to El Niño conditions, Mr. Shivakumar said Karnataka had received only 203 mm of rainfall against the normal 292 mm as on July 11, recording a deficit of 30%. Deficit rainfall Shivakumar said the rainfall deficiency was widespread, with 18 of the State’s 31 districts and 141 of its 240 taluks recording deficit to large-deficit rainfall. The Malnad region, which forms the principal catchment of the Cauvery, Tunga and Bhadra river systems, recorded the highest rainfall deficit of 34%, followed by the coastal region (30%), North Interior Karnataka (24%) and South Interior Karnataka (18%).
The deficient monsoon has also affected agricultural operations, with Kharif sowing covering only 28.36 lakh hectares, or 34% of the seasonal target of 84.10 lakh hectares, during the first week of July. Farmers were reluctant to continue sowing because of inadequate soil moisture and uncertainty over rainfall, he said. Hydrological situation Shivakumar also expressed concern over the State’s hydrological situation. As of July 10, storage in Karnataka’s 14 major reservoirs stood at 303 tmcft, only 34% of their combined gross capacity of 895.65 tmcft. The shortfall in rainfall over the upper catchments could adversely affect reservoir inflows, irrigation, drinking water supply and hydropower generation in the coming months, he said. Availability of pulses The Chief Minister said Karnataka was one of the country’s leading producers of pulses, particularly tur, and warned that any significant decline in production could affect the availability and prices of pulses across the country.
The BriefWire