Even as the south west monsoon is playing truant for the second successive year, it has emerged that Guntur district in 2018 received the least rainfall in the last 60 years triggering agrarian crisis and affecting the lives of hundreds of people.
According to data gleaned from the Ground Water Department, just 396.6 mm rainfall was recorded in the year in the district.
This was lesser when compared to the year 2002-2003 when just 524 mm was recorded. The previous least amount of rainfall was recorded in 1979-80 when just 582.3 mm of rain was recorded.
Borewells the last resort
The year 2007-2008 witnessed the highest rainfall at 1,604 mm, followed by 1,357 mm in 2010-11. The rainfall patterns also show a staggering trend with massive differences between each consecutive year.
The season of highest rainfall in 2007-2008 was followed by 50 % deficit in the year 2008-2009 (883 mm), which further declined to 694 mm in 2009-2010, but again rose to 1,357 mm in 2010-2011.
“The scanty rainfall and the staggering patterns have a direct effect on groundwater tables in the district. Unless we take immediate rainwater harvesting measures, we are going to have a serious problem,’’ says Assistant Director, Ground Water, D. Vandanam.
The groundwater levels, which used to be just hovering about 3.26 metres Below Ground level (BGL) in 1978-79 have fallen sharply to 9.03 metres in 2018-19.
The depth to groundwater has fallen sharply by 5.77 metres during the last 41 years equivalent to loss of 48.30 tmcft of groundwater.
This, in turn, has forced farmers to depend on borewells.
In parts of the Vinukonda Assembly segment, borewells are dug up to a depth of 1,000 feet. In the year 1960, there were 9,245 borewells in the district but now, their number has gone up to 93,030.
The rapid growth of population has triggered a massive construction activity further adding to the pressure on groundwater table. The population in the district has gone up by 58 % in the last 40 years.
