GANGA 52nd Issue | Page 4

High temperatures have hit parts of by drought. In Jharkhand 22 out of 24 eastern, central and southern India in districts are facing draught. In Uttar April–May, resulting scores of deaths Pradesh 50 districts are affected by from heatstroke, mainly the poor. This draught, worst hit is Buldelkhand region. year temperatures have risen earlier than In Karnataka out of 30, 27 are facing normal. Due crop loss already 116 acute water shortage. Govt. is trying to farmers have committed suicide this supply drinking water to draught hit year. villages via multiple tankers. Most parts Eleven states in India are going through of Chhattisgarh is under draught. The draught like conditions and Maharashtra state has announced setting aside Rs.223 is facing one of the worst draughts in crore for draught relief for farmers. recent years. Out of 43 thousand villages Fresh Floods in Assam in the state, around 28 thousand villages When large parts of India are suffering have been declared draught hit and 54 from drought, over 82,000 people were out of 75 medium size dams are dry. hit by floods in Sivsagar, Charaideo and Altogether 16 dist. of Odisha are facing Dibrugarh dist. of Assam in end April water shortage to the minimum. Chief 2016. The Burhhibalang and Desang Minister has announced Rs.1000 crores rivers have inundated 168 villages and package for farmers hit by drought. damaged 22 hundred hectors of crop. In Telengana all dist. except Adilabad and Kammam have been hit by drought. SPECIAL FEATURE:- Heat waves so far have claimed 66 lives Urban groundwater problem with highest number of casualties, Heat (Continued from Newsletter from 51) related deaths have been reported from The United Nations Population Division Mehbubnagar, Medak, Nizamabad and predicts Warangrl. population will expand by 2.5 billion by In Rajasthan at least 19 out of 33 2050. Much of this growth will occur in districts have been drought affected this developing countries in Africa and Asia. year. Out of 51 districts of MP 46 are hit Urban water management will be a that the world’s urban 4 Integrated River Basin Management Society