Kathmandu, Jul 17 (PTI) The Terai plains in southern Nepal are witnessing drought with rains much below the long period average resulting in barely 33 per cent paddy plantation in Madhesh province, the rice bowl of the country, officials said on Thursday.
Three regions, the Madhes province in the south, Koshi province in the east and western Nepal, received less than average rainfall from June 1 till July 16, said Dr Indira Kandel, senior meteorologist at the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology.
However, in some parts of the Terai, the rainfall was up to 50 per cent less than the long period average (LPA), and, “the southern and western Nepal are experiencing drought with less than average rainfall and rising temperature.” LPA is the average rainfall in a given region received over a long time, usually 30 years.
The below average rainfall is adversely affecting farmers, especially those who do not have access to irrigation facilities and are dependent on rainwater, Kandel pointed out.
“However, we still have two more weeks to go before the end of July. If the rainfall improves in the next 14-15 days in southern Nepal, known as the store house of grains in Nepal, we will have some relief,” she added.
Across eight districts of Madhes province — Bara, Parsa, Rautahat, Siraha, Dhanusha, Saptari, Mahottari and Sarlahi — paddy plantation was completed only in 33 per cent of the arable land till mid-July, said Rameshwor Adhikari, argo-meteorologist at the Nepal Agricultural Research Centre (NARC).
This is in stark contrast to the Sudoor Paschim province that has the highest 93 per cent paddy plantation this monsoon, he said.
In Nepal, irrigation facilities are available for only 42 per cent of the farm land, and therefore, almost 60 per cent of the remaining depend on natural rainfall, the NARC officer explained.
More than two thirds of the total foodgrains produced in Nepal come from the Terai region. Lack of rains is also affecting the existing paddy plantation and if the Terai doesn’t receive adequate rainfall in the next two weeks, the effect will be devastating, he warned.
Adhikari further advised the government to adopt a proper irrigation management system in the southern plains, and said, “We have to use climate-friendly agricultural technology and for that we also need to change our mind-set.” Data from the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology showed that Janakpur, the capital of the Madhes province, recorded 142.6 mm rainfall in June this year, far less than the LPA of 259.4 mm.
Similarly, Simara recorded 162.1 mm rainfall (LPA 273.5 mm) and Biratnagar 189.2 mm (313.7 mm).
In the first 15 days of July, Janakpur recorded a mere 36.4 mm rainfall against the 437.9 mm LPA for the month while Simara recorded 137.5 mm (LPA 549.2 mm) and Biratnagar recorded 73.7 mm (LPA 475.6 mm).
In fact, the drought condition is so severe that an acute water shortage even in the middle of monsoon months has prompted Madhesh province to deploy fire engines and other vehicles to deliver water to the affected communities starting Wednesday.
Eight provincial fire engines of 5,000 litres capacity each are being operated in coordination with the Nepal Army, which has been temporarily assigned responsibility for their operation, along with seven tankers and three forest department vehicles, local officials said.
Traditional water sources are drying up due to prolonged drought conditions, and various districts including Bara and Parsa are among the hardest hit.
Majority of the Madhesh province land is located in the flat Terai region bordering India with the rest of the area in the northern part located in the Shivalik hills.
Earlier on July 5, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology had issued an updated monsoon outlook, forecasting below-average rainfall in the central and eastern parts of Madhesh province during the period from July to September. PTI SBP NPK NPK
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