Despite more than normal rains, crop damage minimal in region

Nagpur: The rain gods have been kinder on the farmer so far this year. Despite a good downpour, including heavy rains in some places, damage to crops has been minimal.
According to reports compiled by the agriculture department, over 112 hectares of farm land have been affected in Nagpur division due to excessive rains during this monsoon, most of which is in Nagpur district.This comes to 0.05% of the total area under cultivation in the division.
An official in the agriculture department in Amravati division said that even there, less than 1% of the area under plough has been affected. Reports have been sent to the revenue department for compensation. This is expected to be one of the good years. However, there are also concerns that if rains continued there are chances that the soyabean crop may be affected. This is the second major crop of the region.
On Monday, the India meteorological department (IMD) indicated chances of excessive rainfall in some of the pockets of Nagpur district in the next couple of days.
According to information provided by the officials of regional meteorological centre (RMC), Nagpur, Vidarbha received 20% more rainfall this week compared to the average. “In the last seven days, the region recorded 39.2 millimetres (mm) of rains against the normal of 32.7mm. Gondia was the wettest with 114.2mm while Akola was the driest with 12.8mm rainfall,” said officials.
As per the met department’s prediction, a cyclonic circulation is lying over Gangetic West Bengal and its neighbourhood, extending upto 5.8km above mean sea level. “As a result of this system, rainfall is likely to continue in Vidarbha for the next 3-4 days. Also, heavy rains are expected at isolated places in the region between September 20-23,” added officials.
The district administration has also issued a warning to those living in the proximity of the dams as the gates can be opened any time to let the river water flow out.
In Nagpur district alone, eight dams, which include projects of medium and small size, are already full to the capacity.
On the whole, water level in 36 dams in Vidarbha is at 100%. These include the eight dams in Nagpur district also. Only three among the large projects are full. These are Poos in Yavatmal, Pothra and Dham in Wardha. The rest are all medium sized projects. Even last year the water level in a number of dams in the mid-sized category was at 100%, says the data maintained by the water resources department (WRD).
The Totladoh dam on Pench river and the Kamptee Khairi reservoir through which water supply to the city is sourced are still at 85% and 78% level. Last year, on the same day, the two dams were 97% full. At the same time, the Chaurai dam, on the Madhya Pradesh side of the Pench river, is 92% full as against 89% last year. Discharge from Chaurai led to flooding in eastern Vidarbha last year.
The situation cannot be compared to last year when there were floods in large parts of east Vidarbha. Small pockets being affected by excessive rains is normal, said agriculture department sources.