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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Govt lowers rain forecast but rules out drought

Govt lowers rain forecast but rules out drought

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published Published on Aug 14, 2014   modified Modified on Aug 14, 2014
-The Times of India


NEW DELHI: The fear of drought has receded further with Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday predicting better rainfall during August-September. Though the Met downgraded the prediction for the overall Monsoon rainfall from "below normal" to "deficient", it ruled out any possibility of drought.

The IMD, in its latest forecast, predicted that "the rainfall over the country as a whole is likely to be 87% of the Long Period Average (LPA)" during the entire monsoon season (June-September). The situation is, however, better this year as compared to the drought year of 2009 when monsoon was recorded at 77% of the LPA.

The rainfall will, however, improve in the second half of the season (Aug-Sep) when most parts of the country will receive 95% of the LPA rainfall.

Union earth sciences minister Jitendra Singh said the latest forecast was a downgrade revision from the previous forecast of 93% that was given at the onset of the Monsoon in June, but it was nowhere near as bad as the farming community had feared.

Ruling out any possibility of drought, Singh said, "There is no scientific evidence to suggest that there is drought. There is no reason to be alarmist about it. Overall, it's not a pessimistic picture. As per the IMD, conditions of drought like situation are reviewed by Sep 30".

The minister, while releasing the IMD forecast figures, also emphasized that the distribution of rainfall was also expected to be good - a parameter which brings hope for Kharif crops, sowing of which has gradually been improving since July 10.

The downgrade from 93% to 87% of the LPA (with a model error of plus or minus 4) was done due to shortage of rain during June, which was just 43% of the LPA.

"There is 68% probability for the season rainfall over the country as a whole to be deficient (less than 90% of LPA). The probability for below normal rainfall (90-96% of LPA) is 24%," the IMD said in its forecast, indicating that the country is expected to receive "deficient" rainfall, contrary to the earlier prediction that it would be a "below normal" monsoon.

Asked about the possibility of drought in deficient rainfall condition, ministry of earth science secretary Shailesh Nayak said it was up to the agriculture ministry to take a call on drought.

IMD director general, Laxman Singh Rathore, said, "Meteorologically we define drought if the deficiency is 25%. While 25 to 50% is moderate drought, it is severe drought if it is more than 50%".

He said, "We have sent an advisory to go ahead with (sowing of) pigeon peas, sunflower - as monsoon has improved and it only takes 60 days to grow and castor, which requires less water. Paddy too will largely remain unaffected. But the cost of cultivation may also increase".

The MET department also said that El Nino was unlikely to affect the monsoon this year. "As of now there is no El Nino effect," Nayak said, adding the possibility of having an El Nino effect is 46% while the possibility of having a neutral condition is 52%.


The Times of India, 13 August, 2014, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Govt-lowers-rain-forecast-but-rules-out-drought/articleshow/40146816.cms


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