Worst monsoon in three decades

 According to the Earth Sciences Ministry, 2009 monsoon, when compared with previous years, is found to be worst since 1972, the year when rainfall was 24 per cent deficient.

“The cumulative seasonal rainfall for the country as a whole is now 23 percent below the Long Period Average (LPA). During 1972, the seasonal rainfall was 24 percent below the LPA for the country as a whole,” the Ministry has said.

The Ministry has also declared that rainfall has been ‘much less’ in 360 of 600 districts in the country.

“The district-wise rainfall in June 1 to Sept 30 was excess in nine per cent, normal in 32 per cent, deficient in 51 per cent of the districts and scanty in eight per cent of them,” it added.

The southwest monsoon season begins on June 1 and continues till September 30. However, weathermen have predicted wet weather over parts of central and northwest India next week. According to the statistics, the northwest region has been the worst hit by the monsoon failure amongst the four zones in the country with 36 per cent deficit in rainfall.

Comprising western Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, the zone received around 690 mm of rains as against an average of over 892 mm of rains.
Deficits in other zones stood as 27 per cent in the northeast, which received 1,037.7 mm of rains, and 20 per cent in central zone which had around 795 mm rainfall. With just 4 per cent of shortage, the southern peninsula has been the better amongst the regions. The ministry said monsoon has withdrawn from many parts of the country and will move away completely over the next few days.