Krishna Vasanthotsavam - Unprecedented rain in Thanjavur in May, after two decades

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Divine wonders of Krishna Vasanthotsavam / Brahma Yagnam conducted by HH Sri Sri

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Friday, May 07, 2004

By G. Srinivasan

 

THANJAVUR, MAY 6. The rain lashing the Cauvery delta district of Thanjavur now

is unprecedented. There was no such heavy downpour in May in the past two

decades.

 

 

The normal rainfall for the whole of May, according to available figures, is

55.29 mm. This year the rain recorded in the first six days of the month is

255.20 mm. This amount had not been registered in the whole of May in any year

from 1984 onwards.

 

No rainfall was recorded in May in 1984. The following are figures (in mm) for

normal rainfall recorded: May

1985 - 0.94, 1986 - 5.27, 1987 - 2.88, 1988 - 1.45,

1989 - 2.13, 1990 - 4.53, 1991 - 0.12, 1992 -3.25,

1993 - 1.55, 1994 - 5.06, 1995 - 10.43, 1996 - 2.01,

1997 - 58.45, 1998 - 91.35, 1999 - 64.9, 2000 - 62.6,

2001 - 80.2, 2002 - 70.36 and 2003-38.89.

 

The rain could not have come at a more appropriate time than in May this year as

the district had gone through a severe drought for the past three years. The

rain has helped in recharging underground water. More than 1000 farm ponds, dug

under a drought relief scheme with participatory approach by farmers, are full.

 

The concept is that the farm pond will act as storage of water for emergency

use, besides rearing fish as an economic activity. Coconut or other saplings can

be raised on the banks of the farm pond. Thus the scheme envisages an integrated

approach for farmers to eke out a livelihood. Many farmers evinced an interest

in digging farm ponds with the help of the Agricultural Engineering department.

 

With rainwater, farmers can take up cultivation of sorghum, cumbu, black gram,

sunflower and groundnut. Already alternative crops were raised on 9,823 hectares

in this district. The crops raised are `Makkacholam' on 46 hectares, black gram

on 129 hectares, groundnut on 226 hectares, gingili on 4,281 hectares, sunflower

on 101 hectares and soyabeans on 40 hectares.

 

But farmers point out that the rain can help to raise only alternative crops and

can in no way help in kuruvai cultivation, which depends on storage in the

Mettur reservoir. The level stood at only 24.40 feet (full level 120 feet). The

storage was only 5.478 tmcft (thousand million cubic feet). Unless the storage

improves, farmers will have to skip kuruvai and raise only one crop this year.

 

The dam was opened for cultivation only on October 7 last year, against the

scheduled date of June 12. In 2002-2003, the dam was opened on September 6,

2002. In 2001-2003 and 2000-2001, it was opened on June 12.

 

The normal average rainfall for Thanjavur district in a year is 1,015.05 mm. The

normal precipitation for January is 46.4 mm but this year only 2.40 mm was

recorded. It should have been 15.84 mm in February, but this year only 0.02 mm

was recorded; the March average is 16.36 mm but this year only 0.59 mm was

recorded. There was no rainfall in April. In May, against the normal of 55.29

mm, 255.20 mm was recorded in the first six days alone.

 

The normal rainfall for June is 39.06 mm, July 56.69 mm, August 105.35 mm,

September 109.35 mm, October 181.25 mm, November 226.65 mm and December 127.43

mm.