Ranchi: Jharkhand is once again standing on the verge of drought. If the monsoon does not cooperate this time too, then the crisis for the farmers will increase further. The rainfall should have been more than 436 mm by now.
So far the state has received around 236 mm of rain. There are many districts in the state where plantation has not been done till now.The districts wich have not been planted so far include many places including Khunti, Garhwa, Palamu, Latehar, Seraikela, Hazaribagh, Ramgarh, Chatra, Koderma, Giridih, Dhanbad, Bokaro.
Till now water has not reached the farmers’ fields. Monsoon in Jharkhand can be gauged from the fact that 13 districts of the state have not yet been planted. Farmers are waiting for water in the fields. The fields are dry. Due to lack of rain in the Katkamsandi block area of Hazaribagh district, paddy has not been planted in the entire block area. The situation is that paddy straw has started drying up. Many farmers are getting water from tankers to save paddy straw.
Paddy planting has not started yet. Due to which the situation of drought has arisen. After June, the month of July is also about to end, but due to less rain, the fields are drying up. The indifference of monsoon has increased the concern of the farmers of the district. Paddy planting has not yet started in the district. Due to which the situation of drought has arisen.
After June, even in the month of July, due to less rainfall than normal, the fields are drying up, Bijda is on the verge of dying. A target has been set for paddy plantation in 30,000 hectares in the district, but paddy plantation has not started yet. However, 69 percent of paddy has been planted in the district.
In the Herhanj block area of Latehar, farmers are waiting for the rain by preparing paddy straws in their fields. Many farmers have already prepared the fields. Just waiting for the rains, as soon as it rains, paddy planting will start in the fields.
Block Agriculture Officer Sameer Bhengra said that not even one percent of paddy was planted. Farmers have prepared the fields. If there is no rain on time, this time more farmers will be affected than last year. In Sahibganj district, only 26 percent paddy has been sown, still the paddy is drying up waiting for the rains, the hope of the farmers is breaking.
In many areas, farmers have prepared the fields but they are waiting for the rains. Despite less water, efforts are being made to plant paddy, fields are being prepared at many places. Drought situation has started forming in Jamtara district. There is neither moisture nor water left in the fields. At present, the district is once again facing the humid heat due to strong sunlight. The indifference of monsoon in the district has increased the concern of the farmers. As a result, a line of worry has been drawn among the farmers.
The farmer is worried about the fact that he will have to bear the economic loss. It is the third week in the month of July, but paddy has been sown in only 1-2 percent of the fields. While paddy is yet to be sown in 99 percent of the fields. Even now the paddy straw has not been prepared properly. However, due to lack of rain now, the farmers have to struggle even to save the paddy straw.
In the month of July, Jamtara has a normal rainfall of 325.60 mm whereas so far only 81.60 mm of rain has been received. June rainfall in Chatra district is 32.7 and normal rainfall is 167.1 mm. MM July’s 45.5 mm normal rainfall is 308.2 mm. There is a drought situation in the district, till now planting has not started in many areas. The fields are dry in almost all the villages under the Hunterganj block of the district. The farmers are still waiting for the rains.
If the rains do not come on time, then the farmers will suffer huge losses in the area. The Nagfeni River used to be in spate in Gumla at this time, this time the water is very less, from this it can be estimated that what is the condition of rain in the district. The effect of drought is also felt in Gumla district. Farmers have prepared the field but due to lack of rain, planting has not been done in many places so far.
It rained in Khunti but still not enough for the fields. The fields are ready, transplanting has started at many places, but in many parts of the district, farmers are still waiting for water to reach the fields for transplanting. The Meteorological Department has expressed the possibility that it will rain. In the coming days, along with the rains, water flowing from the upper fields can be planted in the planted fields after collecting the water.
July 15 to first week of August is considered favorable for planting in Jharkhand. Keeping in view the situation of monsoon and Ropa, the Agriculture Department is also on alert. The situation is somewhat better in Santal Pargana. Plantation has not been done in even a single district of Palamu division.
In Jharkhand this year, the Agriculture Department has set a target of planting paddy in 18 lakh hectares. So far, paddy has been sown only in two lakh hectares. This is about 11 per cent of the target.
The Jharkhand government is also understanding the seriousness of the drought this time, which is why the Chief Minister has expressed concern over it while reviewing the schemes run by the Department of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperation on July 24, 2023. Hemant Soren said that more than 70 people of the state are dependent on agriculture. Last time also our concerns were about the rural areas.
This time there is also a drought like situation. The government is serious about this. The Chief Minister has said that there has been a serious discussion on this issue. We have discussed what we can do better for the farmers.
Many decisions have also been taken. We are keeping an eye on the weather. At the same time, instructions have also been given to the departments to deal with every situation. There is a big challenge in front of the farmers at this time.
There is a plan to motivate the Jharkhand government to do alternative farming. Farmers are also being given technical information.