Monsoon retreats in its last leg, rainfall deficit 16%

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 11

After raining havoc over many parts mid-way through the season, the four-month Southwest Monsoon seems to have retreated in its last leg.

During the week ending September 8, the country registered an overall 16 per cent deficiency, fuelled by 50 per cent shortfall in northwest, 38 per cent in central parts and 30 per cent in south where, incidentally, two states — Karnataka and Tamil Nadu — are locked in a bitter water war, the underlying cause of which, many feel, is continuing monsoon deficiency.

The IMD expects June to September rains to pick up over many parts of central and adjoining north peninsular India from September 12, though whether it will make up the deep shortfall in some parts, including Karnataka, remains to be seen.

Northwest, which has done comparatively better this season with a two-per cent surplus to date, may also see light rainfall over many parts from September 12 onwards, says the IMD.

Though a better monsoon this year has improved levels of the 91 major reservoirs of India, those in the southern region are still not as good as the average storage of past 10 years during the corresponding period.

The southern region has 31 reservoirs under the Central Water Commission in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Currently, they are 44 per cent full of their total live storage capacity.

This is an improvement over last year when the storage was 32 per cent, however, it is far less than the average storage of past 10 years during the corresponding period, which is 72 per cent of the live storage capacity.

In other words, better rains this year have improved water levels in parched southern parts but the situation is not as good as it should have been had the rains been well distributed.