Drought fears loom large in north India

Paharpur, UP:

North India could be heading towards drought-like conditions. The Meteorological department has said that in states like Punjab, western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, the Monsoon has been deficient by close to 44 per cent fewer so far. The fallout of the delayed Monsoon is that with these states likely to get scarce rainfall in the next 10 days several crucial crops could be hit.  

Krishan Ashray was a farmer but is now a daily labourer. Twenty kilometers from Lucknow in Paharpur village, Krishan owns a land of less than an acre but there's no water for his fields.

After waiting in vain for Monsoon, Krishan and many other farmers have been forced to work as daily labour to put food on the table.

Uttar Pradesh contributes 20 per cent of India's total food grain production.

The Monsoon delay means several crucial crops have been hit.

HOW UP CONTRIBUTES

• Rice: 12 per cent
• Pulses: 16 per cent 
• Millet: 16 per cent 
• Maize: 7 per cent
  

This year, there has been 30 per cent less rainfall in June and a week into July and there hasn't been a single drop from the sky. The thirsty fields and their owners are waiting for the Monsoon which is already three weeks late if the rains don't arrive in the next one week, the losses will be hard to recover.

Lakhs of farmers across the state have very small landholdings, which means they cannot afford the equipment to irrigate their fields and must rely solely on Monsoon.