Seven Indian states are seeing a decrease in rainfall - Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland have shown significant decrease in annual rainfall in the last 30 years. Many areas of the country witnessed an increase in number of 'dry days' during monsoon season, which has unfortunately affected groundwater recharge in these regions.?
There are some points in the report, which the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) published with a parliamentary panel, in response to the queries about decrease of rainfall and how it would impact the agriculture.?
The ministry has compiled? a report by examining rainfall patterns over 28 states and the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, based?on data for 30 years (1989-2018).?
The report states that the situation of agriculture or water recharge in certain states - in the Ganga river basin which makes Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, Delhi - and some southern states, was alarming, as the number of dry days have increased during the south-western monsoon.?
When asked about the reason behind the changes in the rainfall pattern in those states, MoES secretary Madhavan Rajeevan said, ¡°It could be due to climate change. Global warming is currently happening and it has impacted the climate in India as well and as a result many areas in the country have seen decrease in rainfall while others may have increased rainfall."
As per a TOI report, the study was conducted as it was demanded by the parliamentary committee when many members raised concerns about changing rainfall patterns in their constituencies/states, during the last meeting in September 2019.?
'Five states - Bihar, Meghalaya, Nagaland, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, have shown statistically adverse decrease in the rainfall pattern in south-west monsoon rainfall.?These states along with two other states - Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh have also shown decrease in rainfall pattern at the time of south-west monsoon', as per the report shared by MoES.
The report also states that the frequency of rainfall of a lower intensity which is less than 7 cm, is favourable for the soil and groundwater recharge, was decreasing in these regions. Overall there is a significant decrease in the rainfall pattern throughout the country.?