Vayu cyclone, that was feared to bring disaster in the state, actually turned out to be a blessing.
Vayu cyclone, that was feared to bring disaster in the state, actually turned out to be a blessing.
Instead of wreaking havoc, it brought much-needed rains in the state. A report by the state government on Wednesday said that 240 of 251 talukas in the state witnessed rains because of Vayu. Except for some remote talukas of Kutch, north Gujarat, east Gujarat, and south Gujarat, all talukas recorded rains.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted light to moderate rains at isolated places across the state till Sunday. Light rains are also likely in Ahmedabad till Friday. Ahmedabad recorded maximum temperature of 36.1°C, two degrees lower than normal, while minimum temperature stood at 25.3°C, two degrees less than normal. IMD said that the maximum temperature is likely to rise to 40°C by Sunday.
According to the report by the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) released on Wednesday, the state has received 42.71 mm average rains by Wednesday morning, which is 5.14 per cent of a 30-year average of 816 mm rain. Saurashtra region witnessed the maximum 65 mm average rains, followed by north Gujarat (57 mm), south Gujarat (28 mm), east-central Gujarat (19 mm) and Kutch (9 mm). An official of SEOC told DNA that with the passing of Vayu, the wait is now for regular monsoon. This is important because the state has witnessed erratic and scanty rains for three consecutive years now.
While officials of the Agriculture Department had claimed that Vayu cyclone will not delay the onset of regular monsoon in the state, leaders from the farming community are more cautious. Sagar Rabari, founder president of Gujarat Khedut Ekta Manch, said that the latest round of rains will lure farmers to start sowing, but farmers should be careful.
"Farmers were waiting for the rains. They are ready with seeds and fertilisers. With widespread rains, it is very likely that sowing will take off in a very big way. However, farmers should know that this is not regular monsoon. We hope that the onset of monsoon is not delayed, but we cannot rule out such a possibility. It is advisable for farmers in regions that have received two inches (50 mm) to start sowing but if rains are less, they should wait till the actual monsoon starts," said Rabari.
Cotton and groundnut are the main crops in the state for kharif season. Put together, these crops constitute about 40 per cent of the total kharif sowing in the state. However, they are water intensive crops. "Farmers should choose crops that require less water and are resistant to floods and droughts," said Rabari.
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 "Cyclone Vayu")
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