Rain-robbed Cherrapunjee seeks help

CHERRAPUNJEE (Meghalaya): The monsoon magic of Cherrapunjee, the wettest place on earth, appears to be fading, with locals seemingly coming to terms with a new sobriquet for their land — the world’s first wet desert.

Meteorological records show this year, the hill town, now called Sohra, has received about 700mm less rainfall till June 30. While the normal rainfall in the first 30 days of monsoon is 2,793.9mm, Cherrapunjee received 2,092.6mm.

Officials at the regional meteorology centre in Guwahati hope the deficit would be supplemented in the next couple of months.

The average annual rainfall at Cherrapunjee from 1973-2007 (35 years) was 11,952.2mm. Due to two consecutive years of below-average rain in 2005 and 2006, the average has come down to under 12,000mm. The total rainfall at Cherrapunjee was 9,758.0mm in 2005 and 8,734.1mm in 2006.

The decreasing rainfall has prompted the authorities to rush experts to study the factors responsible. A team from the Union ministry of forest and environment is expected to arrive here shortly to also study the causes of massive deforestation.

Officials said the team would study and recommend measures to prevent an ecological imbalance. 

Earlier, the state government had inked an agreement with the centre for international agricultural development cooperation of the Israeli agriculture ministry for technical collaboration in rainwater harvesting.

Cherrapunjee receives about 20,000 tourists annually and tourism here depends more on the fame of it being the world’s wettest place.