Vishwa Mohan
Vishwa Mohan is a Senior Editor at The Times of India. He writes on the environment, climate change, agriculture, water resources, and clean energy, tracking policy issues and LESS
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As El Nino hits hard, the worry is not only for Kharif, but also Rabi crops. With 40% of districts irrigation-poor, rural economy is at risk. And 166 key reservoirs are at only 26% of capacity. So, citywallahs also have cause to fret.
India is about to enter its most critical phase of the rainy season (July-Aug), which coincides not only with the maximum monsoon rains the country could get, but also the peak of Kharif (summer) sowing operation. What’s worrying is how climatic phenomena will impact these two events.
IMD forecast isn’t encouraging. Its prediction of ‘below normal’ rainfall, with 60% probability of its being deficient, has triggered a fear of drought. If this comes to pass, it won’t hurt the farm sector alone, but also distress water reservoirs, groundwater recharge, and hydropower generation.
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Views expressed above are the author’s own.
