-The Hindu In a democracy, it is important for government agencies to disseminate data in a timely manner After a delayed start, the Southwest Monsoon recently wreaked havoc in Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka and other parts of India. In such a situation, a data journalist would have ideally looked for weekly comparisons of rainfall data across the affected States to determine when the rains began to intensify; historical data to determine how the...

-The Telegraph Below-normal and drought are the new normal. Since 2012 there has only been one normal monsoon. Monsoons follow their own patterns, unpredictable as they may be. In the past, certain periods, spanning a decade or sometimes two, have had higher frequencies of droughts and at the moment, we seem to be stuck in such a cycle. Between 1900 and the year 2000, there was one drought per decade. But...

-The Indian Express The Amravati division comprising Amravati, Yavatmal, Akola, Buldana and Washim talukas are particularly affected, with only 427 tankers supplying drinking water. Nagpur: Delayed and deficient rains this season, coupled with a drinking water and agrarian crisis have left Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region in the lurch. The Amravati division comprising Amravati, Yavatmal, Akola, Buldana and Washim talukas are particularly affected, with only 427 tankers supplying drinking water. Prior to the arrival...

-Scroll.in/ The Third Pole Flash-flood warnings routed through NGOs are giving border villages precious lead-time to escape the wrath of suddenly rising rivers. In the last few weeks of June, a series of WhatsApp messages were sent from Bhutan to India to warn cross-border friends downstream of the Aai, Saralbhanga and Manas rivers about cloud-bursts, swollen rivers and possible flash floods affecting people in the Indian state of Assam. Although originating from officials,...

-The Hindu Business Line About 85 per cent of the India has experienced “deficiency” or “large deficiency” in rainfall this monsoon season An umbrella body of farmer groups on Saturday urged the government to declare districts which are under severe water stress as ‘drought-hit’ immediately and not wait till the end of the monsoon season as is the usual practice. “There must not be any delay in the declaration of drought. Instead of...