330 Million People Affected by Severe Drought: Indian Govt

Quarter of India’s population impacted by drought

However, the number of people hit by the drought could be even higher because the states of Bihar (east) and Haryana (north) haven’t declared drought conditions despite shortfall in rain, said a report.

A report stating that 255,000 villages in 254 districts [out of a total 678] are being severely affected has been presented to the India’s Supreme Court.

The people are facing acute “drinking water shortage and agricultural distress,” the Court was told.

The worst hit state is Uttar Pradesh with almost 100 million people in 50 districts affected by rain deficit.

According to a petition filed by NGO Swaraj Abhiyan, 12 states — Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Haryana and Chattisgarh — are facing severe drought conditions. The report also avers that “the state governments were not implementing social welfare laws like MGNREGA, Food Security Act and the Centre’s drought manual.”

The drought is exacerbated by heatwaves that are plaguing much of India with temperatures exceeding 40ºC for several consecutive days each time.

“In water-scarce Orissa, farmers have reportedly breached embankments to save their crops,” said a report.

“Water availability in India’s 91 reservoirs is at its lowest in a decade, with stocks at a paltry 29% of their total storage capacity, according to the Central Water Commission.

“Some 85% of the country’s drinking water comes from aquifers, but their levels are falling, according to WaterAid.”