LAHORE: The Provin­cial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Fri­day issued a severe drou­ght advisory for Punjab due to 40 per cent below normal rainfall for the first time in the province’s history.

The advisory, directed to all divisional and deputy commissioners, follo­wed a similar alert issued by the Pakistan Meteo­ro­logical Department’s Nat­ional Drought Monitoring Center (NDMC).

The NDMC advisory noted that from September 1, 2024 to January 15, 2025, the rainfall across Pakistan was 40 per cent below normal, with a reduction of 42pc in Punjab.

This drastic reduction in rainfall is expected to exacerbate water stress in cultivated lands, particularly in rain-fed regions, due to the limited supply of irrigation water for Rabi crops.

Issues advisory for pre-emptive measures

The persistent drought conditions in Punjab’s rain-fed regions are anticipated to worsen in January, February and March in the absence of significant rainfall.

The PDMA has requested local administrations to take pre-emptive measures for drought risk management in their respective divisions and districts.

PDMA Director Gen­­e­ral Irfan Ali Kathiya said farmers should be infor­med in advance about the possible water shortage.

He directed the administrations to make advance arrangements for the expected water shortage in Thal and Cholistan.

The School Education Department will also be involved in creating awareness about measures to prevent crops from damaging.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2025