By Biswendu Bhattacharjee
When entire country refers northeast India as hot spot of biodiversity for abundance of natural resources and plenty of water, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) finds a reverse situation on basis of data recorded in past two and half decades on weather parameters. IMD has identified Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland, as 'rain deficient' states though the states are ravaged by floods every year. It even predicted drought like situation in states in near future.

The statistics available with IMD, the states witnessed deficient rainfall in last 21 years. Only in 1988, 1993, 1997 and 2003 the four states had received average 17%, 9%, 2% and 3% excess rainfall respectively. And the situation is no way different this year. Record shows, the total rainfall in Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland is average less than 26% till second week of August 2006.

The annual average rainfall statistics of this year up to 12th August 2006 adds the worry as it indicates that except Mizoram all other six states of the region received short rainfall ranging -52% to -14% [minus fifty two to fourteen percent]. However Tripura stands alst in the deficit list and Nagaland rose to highest point this year. The figure shows, Mizoram has already received about 13% excess [plus thirteen precent] rainfall in comparison with normal rainfall till date.

On contrary, Tripura received (-) 14%, Assam (-) 33%, Meghalaya (-) 44%, Arunachal (-) 49%, Manipur (-) 51% and Nagaland (-) 52% rain till second week of August. The monsoon graph has almost ruled out then possibility of at least restore balance in this year particularly in rest days of monsoon period. Not only that, the trend indicated that the situation might not be improved in next few years for there are enough reasons for worsening.

Explaining the situation environmentalists termed it - 'Inter-annual Variability of monsoon' because of year to year random discrepancy of rainfall. On physical reason of the variation experts say south-west monsoon always hit Himalayan foothill last week of May and move towards northeast with highest intensity but it never back once cross the Gangetic West Bengal on way to central India. As a result, most of the NE states receive high intensity rainfall during the onset and active period of the monsoon, mostly in June and July. After that the chance of heavy shower is very less.  

Despite the deficient rainfall the region is still getting average 2000 mm to 4000 mm rain every year, while the national average rainfall is mere 850 mm. But unfortunately the states are still stumbling to capitalise the downpour which has now become a cause of concern. The use of ground water across the region still remained far behind the scientific standard even though the constant effort of environment activists to prevent misuse of water and harvest the rainwater.

About 65 percent of annual rainwater in the region has flown away along with the fertile part of cultivable land. As a result, the crisis of potable water has emerged as a major issue for the region. On the other population and economic growth, rapid urbanization has put enormous pressure on its freshwater resources.

The latest report of Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) revealed that the groundwater sources will be reached at saturated point by 2025 in at least 15 states including a few of northeast if the current rate of ground water extraction continues.