The figures are vastly different from the ones by the Indian Metereological Department (IMD). And the state’s setting aside the IMD data and acting on its own has raised questions — especially following the chief minister’s declaration of an estimated crop loss of Rs 6,435 crore and the demands to the Centre for a drought relief of Rs 600 crore.

For all 18 rural districts of Bengal, the state reports have differences with the IMD records. “We trust the reports prepared by our own Agro-Met section,” said State agriculture minister Naren De. “I have no idea if there is any discrepancy with the IMD records.”

There are 150 weather stations across the state. The department officials, however, say they are in a deplorable state.

Most of the 50 Principal Observatory Stations of the agriculture department are unmanned. Around 15 of them have been closed for years.

Moreover, 140 Rain Gauge centers — meant to provide basic data on local rainfall — has had no staff since inception.

These centers are run with volunteer services from nearest state-run agriculture farms.

The headquarters of this section at Writers’ Buildings is headed by an in-charge who has only three employees against 14 sanctioned posts. It has just one fax receiver and one telephone set. Section head Dilip Das is struggling with red tape to launch a dedicated software which can make the weather assessment perfect.

The “supervisors” of the Principal Observatory Stations send daily reports on phone, which Das compiles manually, virtually alone.

“It is a fact that we are working in such conditions, but we believe the government will take measures to upgrade the section,” said Das. “Computerisation is a basic requirement.”

“I know there is staff shortage and the agri-met section should be computerised,” the minister said.

“But even without computers, the work is going smoothly. I can assure you that steps will be taken to upgrade the department.”

The controversy over the state’s drought announcement came to the fore after the state’s Minister of Disaster Management Department Srikumar Mukherjee protested. He alleged that the guidelines for declaring drought — present in manuals issued by the Centre — was not followed properly.

“I cannot comment on what I had said in the cabinet meeting,” said Mukherjee.

“I can only say the government finally accepted my claim for declaring four blocks in North Dinajpur as drought-hit and sanctioned Rs 5 crore after I made a noise.”

FIGURE IT OUT: IMD vs state
In its report to the state agriculture department, the IMD noted that the rainfall deficit from June 1 to August 14 was 18 per cent. But the state has claimed a 35 per cent deficit in Gangetic West Bengal and normal rainfall in sub-Himalayan districts of Darjeeling, Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri for the same period.