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Maharashtra govt identifies 10 districts as ‘most vulnerable’ to climate change

State govt plans to improve tree cover at the source of all rivers, with public participation

Maharashtra and climate change, Maharashtra districts vulnerable to climate change, Climate change news, latest news, India news Maharsahtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

The Maharashtra government has identified Nandurbar as the most vulnerable district to be affected by climate change in the coming decades. This was mentioned in the State Vulnerability Index, issued by the Maharashtra government based on the variabilities in temperature, rainfall and humidity levels projected for 2030, 2050 and 2070, as studied by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).

As part of improving its efforts under the existing Climate Change Adaptation Policy of 2010, the government is furthering its scope in works undertaken in improving the overall forest cover, identifying water scarce areas and initiating water conservation measures along with studying the feasibility of switching to alternate energy sources like solar and wind power.

It is a well established fact that climate is changing, with 2015 and 2016 seeing some of the record-breaking heat recorded at several places in India and elsewhere.

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According to scientists at city-based Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), the rainfall variation over Marathwada has been observed on a yearly basis and no major decline observed in the overall rainfall has been observed for a period of nearly 150 years.

“Marathwada typically receives anywhere between 600mm and 650mm rainfall annually. Though there are annual and inter-seasonal variations in the rainfall observed, the overall rainfall has not shown any decline in the last 150 years,” said Ashwini Kulkarni, senior scientist at the Centre for Climate Change Research at IITM

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However, Kulkarni highlighted the warming trend observed over minimum temperatures over Maharashtra. She said, “While the maximum temperatures are rising, what we have also found is that the nights, too, are rapidly warming.”

Some of the other districts, which will have poor resilience to climate change as mentioned in this index, include Dhule, Buldhana, Jalgaon, Hingoli, Nashik, Jalana, Gondiya, Washim and Gadchiroli.

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The TERI report has projected rising humidity levels during 2030s, 2050s and 2070s, posing adverse effects on agriculture. Some of the crops most likely to be inflicted by pests include pomegranate, grapes, orange, banana and mango.

According to R Balasubramanyam, senior scientist at Agrimet division of India Meteorology Department (IMD), Pune, there are various mitigation plans that can be undertaken to minimise the crop damage.

“With the rising temperature and humidity, the chances of standing crops falling prey to pest and other diseases are higher. The rising threat is hailstorm and the union government has directed the formation of a mitigation plan in this regard,” he said.

Cotton, lentils, grapes, groundnut during both kharif and rabi seasons are some of the most cultivated crops in Nandurbar, Dhule, Jalgaon and Nashik districts.

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The renewed plan is hopeful of improving people’s participation, especially in forest conservation under the special sensitisation programme titled ‘My forest, my water’.

One of the proposed ideas is to plant more trees at the source of all rivers, thereby helping in their replenishment.

Yet another suggestions is to build bunds at fixed distances from river banks, similar to the ones built in Kolhapur district.

First uploaded on: 28-10-2017 at 05:01 IST
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