According to the Research Institue for Climate and Society (IRI), there is likely to be a change in the rainfall pattern in India this monsoon season. The South-West Monsoon season usually begins in June and forecasts by global agencies show that in the first half of the season, heavy rains will occur on the west coast, parts of South India, western Uttar Pradesh and N.E. Madhya Pradesh. Later in the season the southern peninsula, western and central India would receive heavy rains.
The shift in the rainfall pattern is a matter of concern. It has been recorded that in the last two years, there has been heavy rainfall in drought-prone areas while flood-prone areas were left dry.
Long term residents of Tiruvannamalai remarked that over the last two years; tirthams, tanks and reservoirs throughout the area were fuller than at anytime they recall in the previous 30 years. Last rainy season areas near Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, suffered severe banana crop loss due to excessive rains.
I suppose just like everywhere else in this fast shifting world, we will just have to wait and see what the upcoming monsoon season has in store for us here at Tiruvannamalai.
