Drought assessment begins in 14 rain-deficient districts
Districts with 45% rainfall deficit in long range forecast included in list
RANCHI: The Jharkhand government is all set to begin drought assessment on ground in 14 districts out of 24 districts from Wednesday, as these districts have received less rainfall during sowing season, disaster management department officials said on Tuesday.
As per the centre’s manual, state could declare drought following three parameters-Trigger-1 (rainfall parameter), Trigger-2 (impact indicators such as crop, remote sensing, soil moisture and hydrology and Verification (ground truth).
The decision was taken in drought review meeting of state agriculture department and disaster management department on Tuesday.
“It has been decided in the meeting to begin the Trigger-1 process of drought declaration. As per the rainfall parameter of Trigger-1, 14 districts including Godda, Khunti, Pakur, Garhwa, Saraikela-Kharswan and Chatra qualified in it,” said special secretary at state disaster management department Manish Tiwary said.
The districts that have received average 45% rainfall deficit in long range forecast have been included in the drought prone category, he said.
Tiwary said administrations of respective 14 districts would carry out a detailed ground assessment block wise.
They would assess the rainfall, sowing and moisture situation in each block of the respective
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It has been decided in the meeting to begin the Trigger-1 process of drought declaration. As per the rainfall parameter of Trigger-1, 14 districts including Godda, Khunti, Pakur, Garhwa, Saraikela-Kharswan and Chatra qualified in it.
MANISH TIWARY , special secretary, state disaster management department
districts and send a detailed evaluation reports to the headquarter, he said. The first round evaluation would take around a month. After submission of the detailed project report, the department would evaluate impact indicators such as crop, remote sensing and hydrology.
An official at the state agriculture department, who wished not to be quoted, said, “If
any state faces drought, it will have to complete all three parameters and send its recommendation to Centre by October end. In 2018, the state had sought 15-day extension, as it could not complete the assessment in given time.”
In 2018, Jharkhand had declared 129 blocks drought hit including 93 blocks several affected while 36 moderately affected by drought. The Centre allocated Rs 256 crop against the crop loss of last year but farmers yet to receive the compensation against the crop damage.
Due to deficient monsoon rain this year, the state recorded mere 61% paddy sowing coverage till August 20, while the sowing season has ended on August 15. Even as the heavy rainfall over parts of Jharkhand for past three days brought down the deficit by 7%, overall rainfall deficit in the state is still 27%.
The state has received 531mm rainfall against the normal rainfall of 725.3mm from June-1 to August 20. Godda district facing the highest 62% rainfall deficit, while Garhwa suffered 51% rainfall deficit till August 20.