Droughts in India: Recognizing Ecological Impact

1. Current Drought Monitoring in India

Types of Droughts: India identifies meteorological, hydrological, and agricultural droughts.
Meteorological Drought: Defined by precipitation shortfall.
Hydrological Drought: Focused on low water supply in surface and sub-surface sources.
Agricultural Drought: Related to soil moisture deficits affecting vegetation.

2. Proposal for Ecological Drought Recognition

Concept: Acknowledging drought’s impact on ecosystems, not just water, crops, and humans.
Benefits: Holistic drought management, addressing human and ecosystem vulnerabilities.

3. Ecological Drought Challenges

Defining and Measuring: Metrics and monitoring methods are still evolving.
Limited Research in India: Studies on ecosystem impacts are sparse.
Policy Gaps: Current drought policies lack focus on ecological aspects.

4. Implications of Ecological Drought

Wider Impact: Ripple effects on communities depending on affected ecosystems.
Environmental and Wildlife Concerns: Loss of forest cover, wildlife migration, and man-animal conflicts.

5. Bridging the Gap

Valuing Ecosystem Services: Considering recovery and adaptation costs.
Data Uncertainties: Challenges in comprehending the full impact due to complex ecological systems.

6. Climate Change and Drought

Increasing Drought Area: A rise in drought-affected areas over the years.
Amrit Darohar Scheme: Focusing on wetland protection to buffer against droughts.

Conclusion:

Recognizing ecological droughts in India can lead to more comprehensive and effective drought management strategies, essential for adapting to the challenges posed by climate change.

SRIRAM’s