All taluks in Karavali affected by drought!

• Lack of post-monsoon showers

Mangaluru: Though the pre-monsoon showers were good across Karavali during the last time, the post-monsoon showers have however failed and thus all the taluks in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts have been declared as affected by drought by the government.

This is the first time all the taluks have been declared to have been affected by drought due to the lack of post-monsoon showers. In 2017, Mangaluru and Bantwal taluks had been identified to have been affected by drought.

This time in the state, the post-monsoon showers have reduced by almost 49% in comparison to the normal amount of rains and thus 30 districts and 156 taluks including DK and Udupi have been declared as affected by drought.

As per the central government’s “2016 Drought Management Manual” and the compulsory revised guidelines an area will be considered to be affected by drought when there is a lack of rains by over 60%, dry environment for more than 4 weeks, lack of humidity, drop in underground water level and other various reasons.

Close to 20% lack in rains

Normally, DK district receives 387 mm of post-monsoon rains, but only 302 mm of rains have occurred causing a lack of 18%. In Udupi instead of the expected 299 mm of rains only 236 mm of rains has occurred and the drop is almost by 21%. What are the future steps? Soon there will be meeting conducted under the leadership of the district in-charge of both the districts and discussions will be held on taking action as per the situation per taluk. Later a collective report will be sent to the government post which the relief actions will be implemented.

2018 post-monsoon calculations

(Oct 1^st to Dec 24^th)

Taluk	Normal      Rain     (mm)	Received         Rain         (mm)	Deficiency (%)
Belthangady	374	356	5
Bantwal	337	277	18
Mangaluru	301	263	12
Puttur	388	295	24
Sullia	395	284	28
Karkala	403	333	17
Kundapur	240	192	20
Udupi	270	198	27

What will be available?

Action will be taken to provide jobs to labourers without land, small and micro farmers in the drought affected taluks under the employment guarantee scheme. Supply of drinking water, protection of animals and other programmes will be taken in accordance to the guidelines of SDRF/NDRF.

As per the presently available information, there is no lack of water or fodder for animals in the two districts.

Action after taking a look

“Due to the lack of post-monsoon rains, 7 taluks in the district have been declared as drought affected. There is no lack of water or fodder in the district. No crop has also been destroyed. Action will be taken after taking a look at the situation,” said Sasikanth Senthil, DK DC

Necessary action after inspection

“All the taluks in the district have been affected by drought. Action will be taken after taking into consideration the points needed to be taken in the district in the coming days,” said Priyanka Mary Francis, Udupi DC

Article by Dinesh Ira translated into English by Aaron Dmello