Deficit rain hits farming in Vizag district

Visakhapatnam: Though the state has been receiving good rains, there are no rains in Visakhapatnam district. Even after third week of July, not only many mandals in the district registered deficit rainfall but also Visakhapatnam city. Even in the mid-summer, the city witnessed untimely rains, but during the monsoon there are no rain for the past one-and-half-a-months.

Though dark clouds prevailing, but there is no sign of rains in the city. According to official statistics, deficit rainfall was registered in 14 mandals and normal rainfall in 12 mandals out of 43 mandals in the district.

Normally, agency mandals used to have good rains every year in the month of July. But for the first time in the recent years, there is no rain in majority areas in the agency.

Majority areas in the district depends on the rain for cultivation. But due to lack of good rains, farmers in the district not yet started kharif works.
With less rainfall, there is no improvement of water levels in reservoirs of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC). The Gambheeram and Mudasarlova Reservoirs which have supposed to receive waters by the end of July, still remains dry.

“Though there are favourable climate prevailing in the district, less rains are being registered in Visakhapatnam. In fact, the first two spells of rains in the monsoon season will improve the ground water table. According to overall assessment, we can term it as a dry spell in the monsoon season,” one of the senior scientists of Indian Meteorological Department opined.

"Sowing works have not yet started so far. In fact, every year by the end of July, sowing works are supposed to be completed. But due to lack of rains, every day we are looking at the sky for rain”, Malla Bujji of Tumpala village in Anakapalle mandal said.