Shillong: Meghalaya is drying up. Data from the India Meteorological Department shows a massive 74 percent rainfall deficit between June 1 and July 1. The state received just 192.9 mm of rain against the normal 750.8 mm. This puts the region into the large deficient category.
The dry spell hit the Kharif cultivation season hard. Fields remain barren as farmers wait for water. In Siejlieh village, paddy sowing normally wraps up in early June. That window has long since closed. Farmer Khrawkupar Kharrit noted the delay: “Usually by the 9th or 10th of June we finish sowing our paddy. This year, even by July 2, many of us have not been able to sow because there has not been enough rainfall.”
Rice production is collapsing. Many families once fed themselves but now rely on imported grain. Hanles Khardewsaw of Siejlieh said, “Nowadays, many people are buying rice from outside. Earlier, most families were self-sufficient, but because of the lack of rainfall, many have lost hope.” Yields have dropped from 30 sacks to nearly nothing.
Regional rain is scarce. Manipur sits at a 71 percent deficit, while Nagaland faces a 51 percent shortfall. Sikkim remains the only state with a surplus. Experts warn that low river flows and empty groundwater stores could wreck the local environment. Officials are pushing for better irrigation and climate-resilient crops. Until then, rural livelihoods hang in the balance.
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