State receives 48% deficit rainfall so far

PATNA: Bihar has received 48% deficit rainfall this monsoon season so far. It's the second lowest rainfall in the country, which has overall recorded 5% above the corresponding normal as the four-month monsoon season completed its halfway journey on Monday. Only Manipur has more (50%) rainfall deficit than Bihar.
Also, none of the districts in the state has received surplus rainfall.Incidentally, seven out of the eight districts having received large deficient rainfall (-60% and above) are in north Bihar, which is normally considered to receive more rainfall as compared to southern parts of the state.

The rainfall deficiency in Patna stands at 55%, but Sitamarhi remained on top with -82% rainfall.
Ashish Kumar, director at Patna Meteorological Centre told TOI on Monday that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had already predicted less than normal rainfall in Bihar in July. "The rainfall has been scanty in north Bihar as well due to the southward position of the monsoon trough line. It could have been better had the trough line been positioned towards the foothills of the Himalayas," he said.
The poor rainfall in the state has left paddy farmers in the lurch.
They are facing difficulties in transplanting paddy saplings. According to sources, the overall paddy transplantation status in the state stands at around 50%, even as its crucial phase will be over in a fortnight.
Anil Kumar Jha, joint secretary of agriculture department, however, claimed that the sapling transplantation process can be carried out even if monsoon rainfall revives in the state in August.
"Most farmers had sown paddy seedlings around the first week of July, when good rainfall occurred. It takes around 40 days for the seedlings to grow into saplings for transplantation in the agriculture fields. Thus, even if rainfall revives by the first week of August, farmers will be able to carry out paddy transplantation and the crops can be saved," he said, cautioning that the situation may turn acute if rainfall remains subdued over the next 15-20 days.
IMD has, however, forecast widespread rainfall in Bihar till August 6. The revival has been attributed to the favourable position of the monsoon trough line.
As on Monday, the western end of monsoon trough line was running close to the foothills of the Himalayas and its eastern end was passing through Darbhanga, Deoghar and the north Bay of Bengal.
"Apart from the favourable position of the trough line, a well-marked low pressure area has also formed over the north Bay of Bengal, which is likely to move north-westwards and cause rainfall in the region," Ashish said.