Drought fear looms large in Kumaon

Our Correspondent

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Pithoragarh, January 18

The fear of drying Rabi crops looms large in Kumaon region as the area has witnessed 98 per cent less than required rainfall in winter months this year.

“Against the required rainfall of 60 mm in hill region and 41 mm in plain region of the Kumaon, the rainfall was only 1.2 mm in hills and 0.82 mm in plain districts, which was 98 per cent less of the required rainfall for the Rabi crops,” said AK Upadhaya, Joint Director of Agricultural Department in Kumaon region.

He says if the rains do not occur in a week’s time, the farmers will lose 50 per cent of their crops in the hill area of the Kumaon region as this area depends totally on rains for its irrigation needs of winter crops. “We totally depend on western disturbances (WD) for the winter rains but the activities of the WD do not seem in near future,” said Dr HS Kushwaha, weather department in-charge in Pantnagar University.