Farmers of eastern Uttar Pradesh are facing a strange predicament. They are experiencing rains, floods and then drought — all in one season — forcing them to switch to multi-cropping pattern from mono-cropping.
Villagers say there is a change in livelihood pattern due to frequent climate changes. Ram Avtar, a villager in Campierganj in Gorakhpur said almost a decade back there used to be continuous low-intensity rains with Rohini river swelling twice or thrice. “But now rains are a regular feature and sometimes heavy rains bring in flash floods. This is then followed by dry spells,” he said.
“There is no regular pattern about rains anymore,” one Kaushalya said. “Earlier monsoon used to start in June and end in September with the result our village used to get flooded twice or thrice between June and August. Rains are now more frequent and heavier,” she said.
The villagers said that water used to recede within a few days but now our agricultural lands remain water-logged for 15-20 days at a stretch and thus destroying the kharif crop.
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