In the absence of adequate rainfall, most part of Bihar including North Bihar which is prone to floods faces drought situations. South and South West Bihar are more vulnerable and often experiences severe drought situations. Districts of Munger, Nawada, Rohtas, Bhojpur, Aurangabad and Gaya are the known drought prone areas of the state.

DO’S AND DON’TS

Do’s:-

• Carryout early warning and drought monitoring on the basis of long,medium and short term forecast.

• Arrange reasonable buffer-stock of food grain and fodder.

• Ensure supply of good drinking water in rural area for human and livestock in drought affected areas.

• Assess fodder requirement in drought affected areas and locate pockets where shortages are likely to occur and arrange supplies from outside.

• Encourage fodder cultivation, wherever feasible.

• Rejuvenate traditional rainwater systems viz., Rivers, Nadis, Tankas, Khadins,etc.

• Encourage rainwater harvesting for both the drinking and cropping.

• Strengthen watershed management and irrigation system.

• Promote cultivation of potatoes, groundnut, oilseeds, and maize.

• Ensure management of human and livestock population to reduce pressure on fragile arid ecosystem.

• Encourage social forestry/Joint Forest Management.

• Ensure timely availability of credit, postponement of revenue collection, and repayment of short-term agriculture loan.

• Give boost to appropriate land-use planning (inter-cropping system).

• Promote implementation of crop and livestock insurance schemes.

• Consume food as per your basic requirement.

• Make a habit to use water economically.

• Ration food and water as per the needs of family members.

• Take temporary shelter where water is available.

• Provide provisions for cattle camp in drought affected area.

• Seek alternate cropping/dry land farming.

• Create Disaster Task Force in the concerned area to initiate relief measures immediately after the drought occurrence.

• Train teams for drought damage assessment. Contact the nearest Agriculture Office.

• Involve Gram Sabha members in preventing spread of epidemics and infectious diseases.

Don’ts:-

• Do not work in extreme heat anywhere.

• Do not waste water anywhere.

• Do not leave children or cattle alone outdoors.

• Do not depend on only agriculture based occupations.

• Do not encourage deforestation and cutting of trees.

• Do not follow single cropping pattern.

• Do not grow water-intensive crops like paddy, sugar, etc., which consume a lot of water.

• Do not delay in preparing agro advisory bulletins based on crop contingency plans, and their wide dissemination among the farmers.

• Do not delay in providing agricultural input support like seeds and fertilizers to the farmers.

• Do not forget to involve community and self-help groups in drought management.

• Do not take up new initiatives for execution without the approval of the appropriate authority.

• Do not discriminate in providing relief to the affected people.

• Do not allow inclusion of the names of ineligible persons in the list for gratuitous assistance.

• Do not procure fodder on any other price than fixed by the State Government.

• Do not allow hoarding and diversion of food grains from the Fair Price shops to open market.

• Do not allow more than 500 cattle in each cattle camp.

• Do not neglect inspection of the cattle camps.