SHILLONG: As the state records deficit rainfall this year, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has asked all deputy commissioners to submit action plans on dealing with the situation.
West Garo Hills DC Pravin Bakshi, who has already submitted the report, said the district administration had held meetings with the Agriculture Department on the need to preserve agricultural products since it was a drought-like situation in the district.
The Department is conducting regular surveys to ensure that crops are not affected due to deficit rainfall.
Meghalaya received 1330.4 mm between June 1 and September 14 as against the normal of 2568.8 mm, which was a deficit of 48 per cent. The deficit in the last one week stands at 76 per cent with the state receiving only 32.4 mm rainfall as against the normal of 134.1 mm.
The other Northeastern states also recorded deficit in the period between June 1 and September 14 with Manipur topping the list with 87 per cent (163 mm rainfall as against 1,262.7mm) followed by Nagaland (60 per cent), Assam (27 per cent), Mizoram (20 per cent), Tripura (19 per cent) and Arunachal Pradesh (12 per cent). However, sufficient rainfall in the last one week has compensated for the deficit in Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Mizoram.
Meanwhile, the West Garo Hills district administration is also facing a new challenge of pest attack on paddy crops by swarming caterpillars. An official report states that approximately 297 hectares have been affected from swarming caterpillars in 36 villages in Selsella block, besides 350 hectares have been affected in 15 villages of Tikrikilla block.
10 hectares of the area is also affected in Daddengre block and it has affected 1,441 households in three blocks.
