Karnataka all set for cloud seeding from August 18
- Cloud seeding will be carried out at 18 districts for a period of 80 days
- Cloud seeding will be launched on Aug 18 at 2 pm by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah
- State districts divided into three segments, for every 200 km 3 aircrafts have been assigned
FollowThe much-anticipated cloud seeding will be launched on Aug 18 at 2 pm by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Cloud seeding will be carried out in 18 districts for a period of 80 days. The Chief Minister will oversee the process in a special aircraft to get acquainted with the technology first hand, reports Kannada Prabha.
Experts from US have already landed in the State and the special aircraft designed for cloud seeding has also arrived. Rural Development and Panchayath Raj Minister HK Patil and other senior officials inspected the special aircraft parked at the Jakkur private airport, on Monday.
The State government decided to take cloud seeding after a long time, in view of failed monsoon. The project costs Rs 35 crore and it has been handed over to Hoysala Projects Private Limited. Cloud seeding will be carried out in 18 districts, except coastal and Malanad regions, which have received good monsoon. Districts like Tumakuru, Kolar, Chamarajanagar, Chikkaballapur, Mysuru, Bengaluru rural etc. have been divided into three segments and for every 200 km, three aircrafts have been assigned. To obtain accurate humidity and density of clouds, three special radars are being set up at Bengaluru Agriculture University, Shorapura at Surapur in Yadagiri district and at Gadag.
The data obtained by radar at Yadagiri radar will enable the aircraft flying from Bidar airport to carry out cloud seeding at surrounding region. The aircraft flying from Hubli will obtain data from radar at Gadag. The cloud seeding will continue for 80 days, reports Kannada Prabha.
Meanwhile, the Central Customs and Excise officials had objected to the radars being transported to the State, even though the aircraft have already landed. Minister HK Patil and Development Commissioner Vijay Bhaskar held talks with the Central Excise officials and obtained the clearance.
It can be recalled that in 2003 during SM Krishna’s term as Chief Minister, the then minister of water resources HK Patil had conducted the cloud seeding for a period of 83 days at a cost of Rs 9 crore, resulting in 20 mm rainfall at Gadag, Haveri and Dharawad districts. Inspired by this Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh also had taken up cloud seeding. Subsequently Andhra Pradesh has been conducting cloud seeding continuously for the past 10 years.
Cloud seeding technique involves sowing silver iodide or sodium chloride particles in clouds which converts the humidity into water drops. Of all the methods to fight drought cloud seeding is considered the cheapest. Some 45 countries in the world have been relying on cloud seeding for the past 40 years.
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