With monsoon playing truant and continuing to remain erratic, drought-like situation prevails in several parts of the State with deficient rainfall in July and August, the crucial months for the Kharif cultivation.

As many as 22 districts are reeling under drought-like situations with varying degrees of deficient rainfall. According to IMD’s regional office here, from 1 June to 10 August, Odisha has received 488.6 mm rain which is 29 percent below the average rainfall.

Jajpur is the worst hit with 55% deficient rainfall followed by Bhadrak 50% deficit, Gajapati- 43%, Bolangir -42%, Balasore-51.7%, Jajpur-51.2%, Khordha- 50.6% and Jagatsinghpur-45.2%. Keonjhar, Nabarangpur and Jharsuguda-39%.

Eight districts- Malkangiri (602.8 mm), Koraput (600 mm), Nuapada (514 mm), Puri (474.3 mm), Jagatsinghpur (521.1 mm), Cuttack (551.4 mm), Dhenkanal (537.6 mm), and Sundargarh (584.6 mm)- however, recorded normal rainfall during 1 June to 10 August, according to regional IMD centre in Bhubaneswar.

Even though four low-pressure systems were formed over the Bay of Bengal since June, they failed to make up for the deficient trend in the rainfall.

The farming operation is badly hit. Drought like the situation is staring at Kharif growers as the transplantation of seedlings has been affected due to erratic monsoon rain.

Everything was fine as there was a good monsoon downpour in June’s first fortnight. The Kharif cultivation had begun on time with the sowing of seeds. But the Kharif plan has gone awry with monsoon playing truant.

“The seedlings are yet to be transplanted as the fields have gone dry due to the absence of rain. The seedlings are showing signs of withering away. We are perturbed a lot. The weathermen have made a forecast of likely rain in the first week of August. But the rain is too scanty. We are fighting hard to save the seedlings from dying young”, said a Kharif cultivator, Pranabandhu Naik from Jaraka block in Jajpur district.

“The government is keeping a close watch on the situation and prepared to tackle drought-like situation”, said Sudam Marandi, the Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management.