Majority of Nashik villages face drought

NASHIK, DEC 12: About 75 per cent of villages in Nashik district growing kharif crops are facing drought this year owing to insufficient r...

NASHIK, DEC 12: About 75 per cent of villages in Nashik district growing kharif crops are facing drought this year owing to insufficient rainfall.

According to official figures, the yield of kharif crops in 1,155 out of the 1,667 kharif villages has fallen 50 per cent below the normal level. There are 1,951 villages in Nashik district, comprising 1,667 kharif and 284 rabi villages.

The yield of paddy grown in the tribal hilly regions of Trimbakeshwar, Peth and Surgana has been seriously affected. In Surgana the yield in all the 189 villages is below 50 per cent than normal. Similarly, in Peth tehsil, the yield in all the 145 villages is below 50 per cent. In Kalwan too, all the 144 villages have been affected while in Trimbakeshwar, 123 out of the 124 villages have been hit.

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In other tehsils, the most affected are Baglan (all 171 villages); Deola (all the 48 villages); and Malegaon (all the 149 villages). The situation is better in Sinnar (46 out of the 110 villages); Yeola (43 out of 83 villages); Dindori (57 out of 73); Igatpuri (25 out of 103 villages); and Nashik (15 out of 75 villages).

The average rainfall in the district has been 748 mm as against 1,073 mm last year. This year the rainfall was not only insufficient but erratic and untimely which hit the growth of kharif crops. The Kalwan tehsil received only 43 per cent of the normal rainfall (301 mm as against 687 mm) while the Peth tehsil received only 54 per cent of rainfall (1,258 mm as against the normal of 2,329 mm). Deola, Trimbakeshwar, Surgana, and Igatpuri tehsils received less than 60 per cent of rainfall.

The situation has affected the yield of cereals, pulses and vegetables (including onions) this season.