Deficit rain in first week of monsoon in Punjab

In the past 10 days after the arrival of monsoon, the state has recorded 29.4 mm rainfall against the required 40 mm — 26.5 per cent less than the required rain during this period.

Out of state’s 22 districts, 11 have received deficit rain in the first week of the monsoon. Tarn Taran is the worst hit where 89.5 per cent less rain has taken place as only 3.0 mm rain took place here against the normal 28 mm required during the first 10 days of the beginning of monsoon.

Apart from this, Ferozepur witnessed 9.4 mm against normal required 22.8 mm, which is 58.7 per cent less. Faridkot witnessed 11.4 mm against the required 24.3 mm (53 per cent deficit), Amritsar got 1.40 mm against 43.2 mm (75.9 per cent deficit), Hoshiarpur recorded 4 mm against 56 mm (90.8% deficit), Jalandhar witnessed 13 mm against 54.2 mm (76 per cent), Mukatsar got 21 mm against 27 mm (22 per cent deficit). Apart from this, Nawanshahr, Mansa, Patiala, and Ropar districts too have received deficit rain between 25 to 40 per cent in the monsoon to date.

Moga, Fatehgarh Sahib, Kapurthala Sangrur, Mohali, Barnala, and Gurdaspur have received surplus rain in the monsoon.

Burden on groundwater

Experts said that during paddy season, deficit rain is a huge issue because this in turn would lead to more extraction of fast-depleting groundwater, which has been a huge cause for concern. Punjab has 15.50 lakh tubewells including 14.16 lakh electricity operated ones, and if all of them are run daily, 4.80 million litres groundwater would be extracted in a day.

Punjab agriculture department Director Dr Sutantra Airi said that in the monsoon period, when paddy sowing is ongoing, delay in rain even by a week causes a heavy burden on groundwater. “But good monsoons are predicted and we hope to get sufficient rain this season,” he said.

Meanwhile, neighbouring Haryana and UT Chandigarh, the joint capital of both states, have received 2 per cent and 34 per cent surplus rain, respectively.