dry paddy field in senapati pic credit
Deficit rainfall leaves paddy fields dry this year in Manipur. Photo credit: R Johny

Deficit rainfall in Manipur this year compared to previous years left the State’s paddy fields dry this season, reports available in Imphal claimed.

Manipur receives an average annual rainfall of around 1600 mm.

However, the State received just 1181 mm from January to September this year which is 314 mm lesser than the average rain (1465 mm) the State expected during the period, according to rainfall data provided by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Manipur centre at Lamphelpat in Imphal.

The highest rainfall was recorded in June (365.7mm) while the lowest in January (7.8mm) this year.

Last year the State recorded 2439 mm of rainfall as per the ICAR weather station records.

Now the State is unlikely to receive adequate rainfall considering the past rainfall patterns in the region, experts felt.

However, officials who have been monitoring the weather stations and other rainfall scene in the State are expecting the northeast monsoon in the region from October 10 onwards.

According to another informed reports, the State Agriculture Department had reportedly started to collect data from the respective districts to oversee the overall situation in view of the report of drought like situation in the State.

Meanwhile, many farming communities including the functionaries of All Clubs Organizations and Meira Paibi Lup, Manipur Loumi Lup(a farmer’s body) and Plain and Hill development Organizations etc have expressed concern over the matter.

Despite having various irrigation schemes, the farmers are facing scarcity of water, and as a result the farmlands are drying up.

It is also a sign of either ineffective or faulty implementation of schemes, which will lower the yield, the functionaries felt.

According to reports, 843 irrigation projects were completed under Minor Irrigation Department.

Those projects are providing proper irrigation facilities to 4514 hectare of land. Many projects are still under progress to cover another 12904 hectares of land, it added.

Plain and Hill Development Organization functionaries also visited many paddy fields in various parts of the State. Unavailability of the adequate water this particular season will lower the yield, says general secretary H Ibobi of Manipur Loumi Lup in a press release.

So the authorities should take up necessary steps on time, he urged.

Sobhapati Samom is Northeast Now Correspondent in Imphal. He can be reached at: [email protected]