Feeling The Monsoon Blues: Punjab, Haryana record 87% and 94% rain deficit in first 10 days of Sept

In the first 10 days of September, both Punjab and Haryana had 87% and 94% rainfall deficit, respectively, as nearly 99% of districts are reeling under a dry spell.

All four months of the monsoon – from the pre-monsoon period in June to September-end – are very crucial as both states are cultivating water-gulping paddy crops in huge areas during this period. And every single day rain matters a lot.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department Chandigarh Office, Punjab has received just 5.3 mm of rainfall from September 1 to September 10 against the required rainfall of 40.8 mm – which is a significant departure (of 87%) from the normal. In Haryana, only 2.7 mm of rainfall was recorded during the same period against the required rainfall of 42.4 mm – which is a big departure (of 94%) from the normal.

Chandigarh had a rainfall deficit of 99% as the joint capital of both states got only 0.1 mm rainfall against the normal required 91 mm this month.

In August, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh had a rainfall deficit of 60%, 52% and 41%, respectively.

In Punjab, barring Pathankot district which had nearly normal rainfall, all 22 districts had witnessed a high rainfall deficit with five districts – Barnala, Bathinda, Mansa, Sangrur and Tarn Taran – recording zero rain. Faridkot, Kapurthala, Muktsar and Patiala districts received just 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.5 mm and 0.6 mm rainfall, respectively.

Pathankot received 60.9 mm of rainfall against the normal 63.5 mm of rainfall in the first 10 days of September. The remaining 12 districts also had a deficit rainfall in the range of 63% to 83%.

In Haryana, all 22 districts are witnessing a drought-like situation this month.

While Fatehabad, Kaithal, Karnal, Palwal, Panipat, Sirsa and Sonepat districts received zero rain, Bhiwani, Nuh, Jind, Faridabad and Jhajjar districts got just 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, 1.1 mm, 1.2 mm, and 1.7 mm of rainfall, respectively, against the normal required rainfall of 24.4 mm, 60.4 mm, 38.1 mm, 71.1 mm and 40.5 mm. The situation in the remaining 10 districts of the state, too, is bad where rainfall in the range of 2.5 mm to 19.1 mm was recorded against the normal required rainfall of 26.8 mm to 77.8 mm.

As far as cumulative rainfall is concerned from June 1 to September to date, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh have received 322.5 mm, 328.4 mm and 691 mm of actual rainfall against the normal required 402.9 mm, 391.6 mm and 804.5 mm, respectively. While Punjab has recorded a deficit rainfall of 20% on the cumulative rainfall chart, Haryana reported 16% less and Chandigarh 14% less.

However, the dry spell has a silver lining. The water reservoirs in the northern region – which includes Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan where there are 10 reservoirs under the scrutiny of Central Water Commission (CWC), have good storage.

The total live storage capacity of these dams is 19.66 billion cubic meters (BCM). As per the Reservoir Storage Bulletin dated September 8, the total live storage available in these reservoirs is 17.09 BCM which is 87% of the total live storage capacity of these reservoirs.

The storage in the corresponding period last year was 53%, while the average storage for the last 10 years in the corresponding period was 78% of the live storage capacity of these reservoirs. Thus, the storage during the current year is better than the corresponding period last year and is also better than the average storage for the last 10 years in the corresponding period.

Bhakra, Pong (both are located on Punjab and Himachal Pradesh border) and Thien dams in Punjab are having 82%, 88% and 80% live storage against 57%, 47% and 36% live storage, respectively, last year during the same period. The storage of these dams is high because the rain catchment area of these dams falls in Himachal Pradesh.