WARANGAL: The recent spate of rain brought cheer to people in the urban areas. They brought respite from the scorching sun and cooled the temperature. But back in the villages, rural folk was not so enthused by the rain. They expected incessant rain to carry on with their agricultural activity. Many farmers saw the imminent danger with the rain in spells. "If we sow the seed and if does not rain, soaked seeds will go dry. Our investment and labour will go waste. Again the situation breaks our hearts," said Damera Mallaiah of Atmakur mandal.

The farmers who have been witness to continued drought situation were initially thrilled by the rain, but it soon dashed their hopes. Though the district registered good rain compared to last year, they were not adequate to enable the peasants to go ahead with their Kharif season. Against the normal rainfall of 137 mm, the district received 106 mm rainfall during the last week.

While some of the mandals received good amount of rainfall -- (Shayampet), 196 mm (Tadvai), 194 mm (Khanapur) and 147 mm (Eturunagaram) the perennially drought mandals like Cheriyal received 10.8 mm and Jangoan 71.8 mm. More than half of the 51 mandals -- Maddur, Narmetta, Lingala Ghanpur, Ghanpur Station, Wardhannapet, Zafargardh, Palakurthy, Devaruppala, Kodakandla and others received less than 50 per cent of the normal rainfall.

The initial rain came on June 2, but it was on June 24, the district received a highest rainfall of 30.6 mm.

Added to the inadequate rainfall, the problems facing the farmers such as non-availability of certified quality seed, ever increasing number of fake seed companies and traders who were out to exploit the situation and lack of sustained supplies of irrigation water and power compounding them further.

The officials, however, contended that they cannot say whether the drought situation prevailed as there were many other criterion to be taken into consideration before categorising a situation as drought. "If any part received less than 20 per cent of the rainfall, we call it a grave situation. But, crop conditions, ground water situation and others go into decisionmaking," said one of the officials in District Planning Office.

The officials in the Irrigation wing of Panchayat Raj Department said of the more than 800 tanks, not a single tank received any inflows due to the recent rainfall.

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