30% Indian districts facing chronic rain shortage

An analysis of 40 years district-wise monsoon data conducted by The Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) reveals concerning trends in India's rainfall patterns. Approximately 30% of India's districts experienced a high number of deficient rainfall years, while 38% witnessed excessive rainfall.

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Notably, 23% of districts, including major cities like New Delhi and Bengaluru, faced both high deficiency and excess in rainfall over the years. The study, conducted by one of the world's top climate think tanks, highlights the growing unpredictability and variability in India's monsoon Ana Lof patterns.

The CEEW analysis delves into tehsil-level data, revealing that 55% of tehsils experienced a significant increase in southwest monsoon rainfall over the past decade, while nearly 11% witnessed a notable decrease. Regions in the Indo-Gangetic plains, northeastern India, and the

Indian Himalayan region, critical for agriculture and hosting diverse ecosystems, were particularly affected by decreasing trends.

In terms of the northeast monsoon, impacting peninsular India, the study notes an increase of more than 10% in the past decade in several  tehsils in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. However, the report emphasizes that approximately 68% of tehsils with reduced rainfall experienced declines during crucial months for Kharif crop sowing.