Mythological drama - Making and Burning of the Ravana 12.10.2013

Desperately saving Ravana as freakish weather dampens festive spirit

NEETU CHANDRA   |   MAIL TODAY  |   NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 12, 2013 | UPDATED 10:02 IST

Heavy rains that lashed the national capital and some other parts of north India on Friday may have brought joy to shower lovers, but scientists are already concerned about such freakish weather. A recent study by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) says global warming and pollution are responsible for extreme weather conditions which could adversely affect agriculture.

IMD scientists made projections of changes in the monthly climatic variability by conducting their study at six different geographical locations in the country (east, west, south, north, central, and northeast).

The department collaborated with Hindustan College of Science and Technology (HCST), Mathura.

"Rapid global climate change is expected to impact agriculture by causing shifts in temperature, precipitation, soil quality, pest regimes, and seasonal growth patterns.

We calculated the changes in monthly variability in climatic parameters in terms of ratio of standard deviations from simulated daily data for present to future," said Dr. C. N. Tripathi, associate professor, department of environmental engineering, HCST. "The fractional changes in standard deviation of monthly maximum temperature (for wet and dry days separately), minimum temperature, number of wet days and rainfall intensity were calculated for six locations in India," he said. The study, which was recently published in International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, showed rainfall intensity increases in all the geographic regions of India for most of the months. At Ludhiana (north India), rainfall intensity increases in February, March, May, August, September and November, whereas it decreases in all other months. At Coimbatore (south India), rainfall intensity increases in all months, except for February, April and October when it decreases.

"At Anand (west India), rainfall intensity increases in all months except for January, April and December. At Powerkheda (central India), rainfall intensity increases in all months except for January, April, June December when it decreases. At Pusa (east India), rainfall intensity increases in all months except for December when it decreases. At Jorhat (northeast India), rainfall intensity increases in all months," said Dr.

K. K. Singh, scientist, IMD. The IMD has also refused to attribute heavy rains in various parts of the country to Cyclone Phailin. "The heavy rains are certainly not due to the cyclone. It is because of some western disturbances and confluence of some elements," said Dr M. Mahapatra from IMD.

Rain dampens festive spirit in Delhi

The rain god has definitely dampened the festive spirit in the Capital this Dussehra. Devotees visiting puja pandals and Ramlila celebrations faced the wrath of the weather on Friday, with incessant rains spoiling their plans.

As per the Met office, the extended monsoon of 2013 will continue till October 18. The city received a total of 64.8 mm of rains as per the Met department. Officegoers had a harrowing time as they were stuck in flooded streets and subsequent traffic jams.

Rains played spoilsport at Durga Puja festivities as several pandals were flooded. "It started raining early in the morning. By the time it was time for anjali, the ground was already flooded. Heavy rains prevented people from coming out of their homes to attend the puja," a member of Chittaranjan Park Durga Puja Committee (B- Block) said.

Some Ramlila committees had made special provisions, though.

"We used water-proof material to make the pandal. We used pumps to clear the water in the ground," Rahul Sharma of Nav Shri Dharmic Committee said.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/dussehra-ravan-dussehra-delhi-delhi-rains--india-meteorological-department--cyclone-phailin/1/314313.html