Monsoon weakens over Jharkhand, rain deficit rises to 38%

Monsoon activity is likely to revive from September 3 due to an expected system in the Bay of Bengal, though heavy rainfall is unlikely. The situation is grim in six Jharkhand districts where rainfall deficit has reached above 50 per cent.Chatra recorded a deficit of 64 per cent, Hazaribag 54 per cent, Giridih 51 per cent, Gumla 52 per cent, Koderma 51 per cent and Latehar 52 per cent.

Jharkhand's rainfall deficit rose to 38 per cent on Friday as monsoon has weakened over the state, a weather official said.

The state has received 504.1mm rainfall from June 1 to September 1 against normal rainfall of 807.1mm during the period, the official added.

Weathermen expressed concern that if there isn't good rainfall in September, which is the last month of monsoon season, Jharkhand might witness decade's lowest rainfall this year.

''In 2017, Jharkhand had recorded lowest 720mm rainfall. To match this figure, the state needs over 200 mm rainfall in September,'' in-charge of Ranchi meteorological centre Abhishek Anand told PTI.

He said, ''Monsoon activity has turned weak over Jharkhand due to lack of systems in the Bay of Bengal. There is a rare possibility of rainfall in the next two days. Monsoon activity is likely to revive from September 3 due to an expected system in the Bay of Bengal, though heavy rainfall is unlikely.'' The situation is grim in six Jharkhand districts where rainfall deficit has reached above 50 per cent.

Chatra recorded a deficit of 64 per cent, Hazaribag (54 per cent), Giridih (51 per cent), Gumla (52 per cent), Koderma (51 per cent) and Latehar (52 per cent). The situation has aggravated the worry of the farmers, as around 47 per cent arable land, meant for paddy cultivation, is still lying fallow due to scanty rainfall in the early season of monsoon. The sowing season in the state has already ended on August 15.

Paddy was sown in only 9.58 lakh hectares against the target of 18 lakh hectares till August 29, according to coverage data of the state agriculture department.

This year, Kharif crops including paddy, pulses, maize, oilseeds, and cereals were sown in 15.50 lakh hectares against a target of 28.27 lakh hectares till August 29, or only in 54.85 per cent of the arable land.