By Vishal Gulati, IANS,
Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) : The residents of Gohar village in this Himachal Pradesh district have been offering prayers to appease the rain god and end the prolonged dry spell that has affected crop production in the area.
Special rituals were organised in the village to appease Kamru Nag, the reincarnation of Lord Laxman, as the residents believe that the chief local oracle will shower rain and end drought-like conditions.
“We have been praying for rains for the past many days. Now, we have given an ultimatum to the priest of Kamru Nag. If he can’t convince the deity to bring rainfall, we will remove him. But we are confident that the priest will convince the deity to send showers,” villager Bhrigu Nath told IANS.
“We are praying to end the prolonged dry spell and bring happiness in the region,” priest Neelkamal said, hoping that “the prayers would propitiate the deity to bless with plentiful rains in the days to come”.
Sub-divisional district magistrate Sunil Sharma told IANS Tuesday that there hasn’t been any rain for the past couple of months in the area.
“Like other parts of the state, the Gohar region is also witnessing acute water shortage. This time too, the wheat crop would be severely affected if there is no rain,” he said.
The meteorological office in Shimla said all 12 districts have received less than average precipitation so far.
“After a virtually dry December, the state received inadequate rain and snow in January which is not enough to ensure a good rabi crop. During last month, the overall precipitation in the state was 84 percent less than the long-term normal values of rainfall,” meteorological office director Manmohan Singh said.
He said it was due to weak western disturbances.
In September last year, the entire state was declared drought-hit and the government pegged the horticulture and agriculture losses at Rs.872.36 crore.
A survey by the agriculture department says cash crop production was down by more than 50 percent in several districts, and in some cases, by as much as 80 percent.
According to the meteorological office, all the 12 districts, except Una, received less than average rains during monsoon.
While there was 85 percent deficit in rainfall in Chamba, the figure for Lahaul and Spiti is 72 percent, Sirmaur 63 percent and Shimla 57 percent, said the met office.
Agriculture is the main occupation of the people in Himachal Pradesh, providing direct employment to 69 percent of its workforce.
According to the state’s Economic Survey for 2008-09, 86 percent of the total land holdings are of small and marginal farmers, 13 percent are owned by semi-medium and medium farmers and 0.4 percent by big farmers.
More than 80 percent horticulture and agricultural activities here are rainfed.