New Delhi, Tuesday, June 26 If weather forecasts are to be believed, Vidarbha is heading towards improved monsoon rains this year. The drought hit areas of Vidarbha can expect rains but in short heavy spells. Observed rainfall data between June and June 25 published by India Meteorological Department (IMD) corroborates this fact as Vidarbha is better off than most regions with below normal rainfall. Notably, only northeast India and Chhattisgarh are better placed during this monsoon till now. The country as a whole is deficient by 60 percent till now.
But caution is required to properly utilize the most of this precious water. Rain water usually gets drained due to lack of facilities to store rain water. Many water demanding crops wilt as necessary irrigation could not be provided. Harvesting rain water becomes the most imperative tool to ensure irrigation in an area deprived of rivers. According to an estimate, the region has some 40,000 farm ponds and 100 new check dams for this purpose but that is not enough to feed crops.
Even when strong monsoon conditions prevails elsewhere in the country, Vidarbha tends to receive rainfall in short heavy spells after which most of the rainwater gets drained as there is no significant arrangements to store and preserve the rainwater. The wait for rainfall extends up to a week to ten days for such spells after every shower. This is the reason Vidarbha usually gets caught in a vicious circle of drought conditions every year. The rains may be favourable this year as has been witnessed till now but retaining it for periods of dry weather is essential to reverse this unfortunate trend.
