Odisha receives 9% less rainfall this monsoon

Bhubaneswar: Odisha has received nine per cent less rainfall this monsoon season with Balangir receiving 34 per cent less rain, said a meteorological department report.

Sarat Chandra Sahu, director of the India Meteorological Department's Bhubaneswar regional centre, said that the State should have received 1150mm rainfall by now but it has so far received only 1052mm rainfall.

"Rain deficit has been recorded in nine districts of which three recorded over 30% deficit,” he said.

Besides Balangir, the other eight districts in the State that recorded rain deficit this monsoon are- Jajpur and Angul (30%), Dhenkanal (28%), Sonepur (25%), Bargarh and Bhadrak (24%), Kandhamal (22%) and Nayagarh (20%).

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Meanwhile, the districts with less rainfall are experiencing a drought-like situation in the State. Taking this into account, the government has decided to discuss on the drought situation at a review meeting scheduled on October 10 after receiving reports from the district collectors.

“It’s not possible to declare a district as drought-affected as the average rainfall in villages, even under a particular panchayat, is different. We have Village Level Workers and Assistant Agricultural Officers to identify the villages and panchayts that need to be declared drought-hit. We will proceed accordingly,” said Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout.

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