Months after declaring drought in 139 taluks in the Karnataka, Mysuru district has recorded the lowest rainfall in 60 years.
C. Govindaraju, station nodal officer, Integrated Agromet Advisory Services and Senior Farm Superintendent, Naganahalli Organic Farming Research Station, told The Hindu:
“Mysuru received 213 mm against the average of 685 mm in 2016. This is the lowest recorded rainfall in 60 years.”
Another report published by The Hindu in 2014 states that Mysuru received 113.9 mm rainfall for the period between July 1 and 31.
Good pre-monsoon showers and rain in June last year had made it possible for Mysuru to receive 685mm rainfall despite being a drought year.
However, the north-east monsoon in the month of October and November had compensated for the failed monsoon showers in July, August and September.
What differentiates the current year from the previous year is the fact that the south-west as well as the north-west monsoons had both failed, pushing the district to adverse crisis.
With all the taluks in Mysuru being declared drought hit and the lack of rainfall has caused much worry to the farmers, as their crops failed owing to this.
Meanwhile, State Sugarcane Growers’ Association president Kurubur Shanthkumar demanded that the State government provide a compensation of Rs. 25,000 an acre for the loss suffered by farmers owing to drought.
According to The Hindu, about 1,21,555 ha comes under irrigation in Mysuru.
The districts of Mandya and Mysuru are expected to get rains over the next two days, owing to the cyclonic storm Nada in the Bay of Bengal, reports Deccan Chronicle.