Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Oct 8: The delay in normal withdrawal of Monsoon will lead to further rainfall in coming days and scientists have predicted 2 to 5 mm rainfall in areas of Jammu district, Reasi and Kathua on October 11 and 12.
Confirming this, Dr B C Sharma, Prof and Head Agro- Metrology, Sher-e- Kashmir University of Agriculture Science & Technology (SKUAST), Jammu told Excelsior that there is expectation of 2 to 5 mm rainfall on October 11 and 12. The plain parts of Jammu region will mostly be affected by rainfall, he added.
He advised the farmers to delay the harvesting of crops by one or two days as harvested crop is more prone to damage due to stagnation of water in the fields.
He said the Monsoon has not fully receded by now and 20 percent of it is yet to clear. This will also be over by next one week or ten days, he added.
Denying that these are unusual conditions of weather in the State, he said some times it can happen and this year though the onset of Monsoon was earlier but it got delayed later on and only 80 percent of it has receded so far.
The Monsoon withdrawal is delayed by over a fortnight in J&K said Dr M K Khushoo, ex Chief Scientist SKUAST, Jammu. The normal date of withdrawal of Monsoon was September 15 but it delayed by over three weeks, he added.
He said due to incursion of moisture in Punjab and Rajasthan there is cloudy weather in Jammu and the unprecedented rainfall was witnessed in last few days.
Dr Khushoo said during this year there was over 22 percent more rainfall while from the October 1 to October 7 there was 72 percent more rainfall. This unusual phenomena in weather became a cause of concern for people as well as the farmers. The cause of delayed withdrawal of Monsoon was because of moisture in Western Rajasthan, he added.
He said due to sufficient moisture in the air coupled with high temperature has resulted into continuous humidity in atmosphere.
He however said that Indian Metrology Department has declared withdrawal of Monsoon and Punjab has also declared withdrawal of the Monsoon from today.
He said delay in withdrawal of Monsoon will also cause delay in harvesting. The unusual rain fall will also lead the stagnation of water that can become breeding ground for mosquitoes and add to increase in cases of mosquito borne diseases, he added.
Maintaining that the sky may remain cloudy for some days, Abdul Rashid Zargar Deputy Director Metrology Srinagar said visibility of fog in the air during the morning is because of moisture in the air with the result the humidity in the atmosphere also continues.
The unusual weather conditions and heavy rains in last week has also damaged standing crops. According to Vipin Samyal, Chief Agriculture Officer Kathua 30 to 50 percent crops of Basmati and other kind of rice, maize and pulses were damaged in the plains and Kandi belt of Kathua due to rains.
He said the team of Agriculture Department made survey in entire district and has submitted the report to higher authorities. About 30 to 50 percent pulses crop was damaged in Bani area, he added.
However the farmers complain that no such survey was conducted by Revenue Department as yet.
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