As five districts in western Assam have been designated as drought-affected and the state has recorded a 44% deficit in rainfall during June and July, eastern Assam is facing a dire situation characterized by desolate paddy fields, withering crops, neglected tea gardens, and a pervasive sense of despair among farmers.
Farmers are increasingly abandoning their crops, leading to roads and highways that are now hauntingly brown and quiet. Even birds, which were once a common sight in rice fields, are now encroaching upon human settlements in search of sustenance. The tea gardens are in distress, with small-scale growers experiencing significant hardship.
The Assam government is actively monitoring the rainfall deficit across all districts and will declare drought status in accordance with the evolving circumstances. This crisis prompts critical questions regarding Assam’s readiness to cope with climate variability, which includes unpredictable weather patterns, prolonged dry spells, and the diminishing of water bodies.
Without immediate intervention, the provision of artificial irrigation support, and the implementation of relief measures, the situation could escalate into a comprehensive agrarian catastrophe.
