Lucknow: In the peak paddy season, the farm labourers in Uttar Pradesh have no work. Due to weak monsoon this time, the paddy farmers have been facing tough time in UP and the sowing has been delayed by over two weeks.
The situation is worse in the eastern part of UP which is known as rice bowl of the state. Against the estimates of the agriculture department, only 25 per cent of crop area has been covered so far in East UP districts so far. There has been 37 per cent of rain in East UP this time against the average rainfall during this period. Due to rise in temperature during July that reached to 40 degree and eastern winds blowing from the Bay of Bengal, the farmers are finding tough to save the crop with irrigation means.
Alarmed over the situation, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday convened a meeting of senior officials in Lucknow to review the situation arising due to poor monsoon. In the meeting, CM asked officials to take remedial measures for the paddy farmers. The officials have been told to ensure water in the irrigation canals and supply of electricity for the tube wells in the rural areas.
However, the officials of agriculture department said that situation is critical but not alarming so far. According to them if the monsoon does not pick up in the coming two weeks the paddy sowing would be affected. They said that so far, the early variety crop of paddy has suffered and in UP very few of the farmers opt it. Most of the farmers in UP sow paddy after taking maize crop and for them even if it rains in last week of July, things would be normal.
According to the regional MET office, the monsoon had arrived in UP on June 29 but after covering the state once, it has weakened now. The situation will continue to be like this in the coming few days, at least in eastern UP. Till second week of July, there has been 38 per cent less rain than the normal in West and Central UP and 37.50 per cent in East and Bundelkhand districts.
According to Ashish Awasthi, who works for unorganized workers, the rush is increasing in labour market, which is unusual in these days. He said that there is hardly any work in the villages due to poor monsoon and the labourers are coming to cities for employment.
