Eight persons, including four women, died in rain-related mishaps in the Banswara district alone in the last 24 hours as the South-West monsoon revived in the tribal belt of Rajasthan.
However, the fresh spell of precipitation was a welcome relief for peasants who were looking to save their standing kharif crop.
As per the district control room information, out of the eight deceased, five drowned while three others died in the house collapse incidents, the Secretary of State Disaster, Relief and Civil Defense Department P C Kishan told SNS on Monday.
According to the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), 34 people were trapped in heavy rainfall or flood-related mishaps in the last couple of days in Rajasthan’s Dungarpur, Pratapgarh, and Banswara districts. A 30-year-old woman was rescued at a pond in Ramdevra temple where an annual ‘mela’ of pilgrims is being continued.
The SDRF also recovered the bodies of five persons during these days, an official said.
From 15 June 2023 to date, 67 people died due to rain-related mishaps and 278 cattle heads perished due to lightning and house collapse incidents.
Heavy to torrential rains occurred in the last 24 hours in the Banswara district where the rainfall ranged between 46 mm to 120 mm. While moderate to heavy rainfall hit normal life in Barmer, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Dungarpur, Jalore, Pali, Sirohi, Udaipur, and Pratapgarh. Jawai Dam in Pali, Beesalpur Dam in Tonk, and 16 gates of Chambal in Kota were opened to release surplus rainwater and to check to reach the red mark.
Before the revival of the SW monsoon this month, the Agriculture Department had apprehended water scarcity (drought-like situation) in many districts as there was no rain in August. But the fresh spell of precipitation has given a new lease of life to standing Kharif crop and hope for those peasants who are ready for Rabi crop sowing, the Secretary Mr Kishan said.
There are also reports of withering of standing crops due to excessive rainfall, and damage to harvest crops lying in the fields in parts of the Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Jaipur, Alwar, and Bharatpur districts. Farmers were seen demanding compensation for their damaged crops at the district collectors’ offices. The state government has yet to order fresh Girdwari (crop assessment) in these districts.