Indians Facing Worse Famine

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31109, 12 July 1966, Page 6

Indians Facing Worse Famine

(N.Z P.A. Reuter—Copyright)

NEW DELHI, July 10.

Indians, already hit by chronic food shortage because of the failure of last year’s rains, may face even worse conditions in the coming months.

The current monsoon rains have started meagrely and anxiety is growing throughout the country.

Unless the rains are adequate and well spread over the next three months, the grave damage done by last year’s monsoon failure will be repeated and the situation may become even worse. The bulk of India’s food, especially rice, is grown dur-

ing the monsoon season, while the rains also fill the reser-. voirs which irrigate crops during the following dry season. This year’s monsoon broke well on time in June and rapidly spread over the country, raising high hopes. Rains Failed Farmers sowed their seed, but in large areas the rains failed to develop and the seeds have dried up in the ground. Bombay, which by this time has normally been deluged, is in the grip of an acute water shortage. The whole western coastal region, which is a heavy rainfall area, is suffering. Central India, too, has not yet had adequate rain, and officials fear an even worse situation than last year. Mixed Blessing Only in the north has rainfall been good. But in some areas rain has not always been a blessing. The Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Bengal have all had normal or abovenormal rainfall. The extreme north-eastern state of Assam has had torrential rains and devastating floods, which may turn its normal rice surplus into a deficit.