A severe dry spell lasting nearly three months has plunged parts of Uttarkashi into drought-like conditions, causing crops to wither and threatening farmers with significant financial losses. The absence of rainfall since the final week of September has severely impacted the agricultural belt of the Rawai valley.
Crops Wither, Germination Fails
Farmers in the Rama Sirai and Kamal Sirai areas had sown their pea and wheat crops in October, relying on residual soil moisture at the time. However, the prolonged dry spell has now disrupted the germination process. The plants, deprived of essential water, have begun to dry up and wither across the valley.
Pea cultivator Shyamikram Nautiyal described the season as challenging from the very beginning. "At the time of sowing, many seeds were damaged by wild pigeons and monkeys," he said. "Now, because there has been no rain for a long time, the crops have not grown properly." He confirmed that drought-like conditions are currently prevailing in the region.
Farmers Fear Financial Ruin
The continued dry weather has left cultivators with very few options, especially those who do not have access to irrigation facilities. Many fear that if rain does not arrive soon, they will face devastating financial setbacks. The situation highlights the vulnerability of rain-dependent agriculture in the region.
Official Response and Advisory
District Horticulture Officer Rajneesh Singh stated that his department is closely monitoring the worsening situation. "We are waiting for rainfall, and farmers have been advised not to depend entirely on the weather," Singh said. He urged the agricultural community to utilize sprinklers and other available irrigation methods wherever possible to save their crops.
Singh also assured that the department would extend all possible assistance to the affected farmers in Uttarkashi. This advisory underscores the critical need for alternative water management strategies in the face of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.
