North Indian reservoirs run dry as summer sets in

North Indian reservoirs run dry as summer sets in

What has happened?

North India saw good rains last week, but its reservoirs are precariously deficit

• The total live storage now is 3.62 BCM (billion cubic metres), which is 20% of capacity
• The storage during the corresponding period last year was 23% and the average storage of the last 10 years during the corresponding period was 27% of live storage capacity.

Poor pre-monsoon rain last month has contributed to the shortage

According to figures from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), north-west India, which normally gets 5.9 cm of rain from March 1 to April 12, got only 3.4 cm — a 42% decline.

Hotter summer days

The summer months from March-May will be “warmer” than normal and several parts of north India, at least a degree hotter than their average summer temperatures, the IMD had said in its annual forecast

Delay in harvest of Wheat

• Widespread rain during the past few days in parts of Punjab and Haryana could delay the harvesting of the standing wheat crop by at least a week
• Even as a fresh western disturbance could bring more rain in the region on April 15 and 16. While the IMD hasn’t yet announced its monsoon forecast, private agencies have said India is likely to get a normal monsoon.