3. THE RAINY PERIOD OVER GREATER PART OF
THE COUNTRY IS RESTRICTED TO 3 TO 4
MONTHS DURATION.THUS ANY SMALL
DEVIATION IN THE OCCURRENCE OF
RAINFALL WILL ADVERSELY AFFECT THE
NORMAL ACTIVITES IN THE BIOSPHERE. IN A
VAST COUNTRY LIKE INDIA WITH ITS VARIED
CLIMATE ONE OR OTHER PART OF THE
COUNTRY EXPERIENCES DROUGHT ALMOST
EVERY YEAR.
INTRODUCTION
4. THE PROVISION OF CREDIT OR CASH/FOOD
FOR WORK.
MAINTAINING THE WATER SUPPLY FOR
ANIMALS AND HUMANS.
PROVISION OF EMERGEMCY GRAZING.
MAINTAINING CEREAL AVAILABILITY.
HUMAN AND LIVESTOCK HEALTH SERVICE
PROVISION.
THE CONTINGENCY PLANS THEMSELVES ARE LIKELY TO CONSIST
OF THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS:
5. SUPPORT FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
FLEXIBLE TAXATION SYSTEMS THAT DO NOT
TAX PASTORAL POPULATIONS DURING
DROUGHT.
PROVIDING FODDER FOR DROUGHT
AFFECTED STOCK.
6. DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLANNING MUST
ALLOW FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THREE
KINDS OF MEASURES:
1. MITIGATION : TO MINMIZE THE IMPACT OF
DROUGHT ON LIVELIHOODS.
2. RELIEF : FOR THE WELFARE OF THOSE
MADE DESTITUTE BY DROUGHT.
3. REHABILITATION : OF PASTORAL
PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN THE AFTERMATH
OF DROUGHT.
7. AN OVERALL DROUGHT POLICY, SETTING
OUT OF THE PLAN’S OBJECTIVES OF
MINIMIZING THE IMPACT OF DROUGHT.
A SET OF PLANS FOR SPECIFIC MITIGATION,
RELIEF AND REHABILITATION MEASURES.
DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLANNING
FOR DROUGHT PROTECTION,
MITIGATION OR RELIEF INCLUDE:
8. DAMS- MANY DAMS AND THEIR ASSOCIATED
RESERVOIRS SUPPLY ADDITIONAL WATER IN
TIMES OF DROUGHT.
CLOUD SEEDING-AN ARTIFICIAL TECHNIQUE
TO INDUCE RAINFALL.
DESALINATION OF SEA WATER FOR
IRRIGATION OR CONSUMPTION.
DROUGHT MONITORING- CONTINUOUS
OBSERVATION OF RAINFALL LEVELS AND
COMPARISONS WITH CURRENT USAGE
LEVELS CAN HELP PREVENT MAN MADE
DROUGHT.
9. LAND USE – CAREFULLY PLANNED CROP
ROTATION CAN HELP TO MINIMIZE EROSION
AND ALLOW FARMERS TO PLANT LESS
WATER DEPENDENT CROPS IN DRIER
PERIODS.
OUTDOOR WATER- USE RESTRICTION –
REGULATING THE USE OF SPRINKLERS,
HOSES OR BUCKETS ON OUTDOOR
PLANTS,FILLING POOLS, AND OTHER WATER-
INTENSIVE HOME MAINTANACE TASKS.
RAINWATER HARVESTING – COLLECTION
AND STORAGE OF RAINWATER FROM ROOFS
OR OTHER SUITABLE CATCHMENTS.
10. RECYCLED WATER- FORMER WASTEWATER
(SEWAGE) THAT HAS BEEN TREATED AND
PURIFIED FOR REUSE.
RELIEF WORKS – BUILDING CANALS OR
REDIRECTING RIVERS AS MASSIVE
ATTEMPTS AT IRRIGATION, CONSTRUCTION
OF EARTHEN ROADS, RENOVATION OF
VILLAGE PONDS, ETC. IN DROUGHT –PRONE
AREAS.
A COMMITMENTS TO THE GENERAL
PROMOTION OF DROUGHT RESILIENCE.
11. DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL :
MUCH MAY BE DONE TO REDUCE THE
IMPACTS OF DISEASE ON LIVESTOCK BOTH
BEFORE AND DURING DROUGHT.
THESE PLANS HAVE YET TO BE FULLY
TESTESTED AND IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO
OBSERVE THE SPEED OF RESPONSE WHEN
AN EMERGENCY OCCURS.
12. GOVERNMENTAL:
POLICY ISSUES, NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND
DISTRICT LEVEL.
RURAL DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE.
INPUT SUPPLY , MARKETING AND FARM
ADVISORY SERVICES.
DROUGHT CONTINGENCY
PLANNING INCLUDES THE
FOLLOWING MECHANISMS AND
SECTORS :
