Overall rainfall deficiency in State put at 13%, which IMD experts say is ‘not alarming’ for now

Karnataka’s decision to begin cloud seeding in the first week of August comes even as monsoon is picking up in the State, with an overall rainfall deficiency of 13%, which India Meteorological Department (IMD) experts have said is “not alarming” as of now.

Although there has been a deficiency in rainfall in the districts of Gadag, Dharwad and Raichur in north Karnataka and Bengaluru, Chamarajanagar and Mandya in south Karnataka, IMD officials said on Friday rainfall was picking up and was “likely to be almost normal in the coming days”.

However, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H.K. Patil on Friday described the experiment as “essential” and that it would be taken up in places where it was required. “The State has been facing severe drought for three consecutive years and farmers have been in distress. It is more effective if taken up during monsoon,” he said.

Radar locations

A field operation team, headed by R.V. Sharma, former Deputy General Manager, IMD, Mumbai, has been set up for cloud seeding. The letter of acceptance has been issued to the company and radar locations have been finalised by Dr. Sharma. The three radars will be placed atop a six-storeyed building at GKVK, Bengaluru; atop Rural Water Supply Division office in Gadag, and beside the PWD guest house at Shorapur in Yadgir district, the Minister said.

“While the required clearances for the project from the State government have been obtained, we have written to the Union government for 10 clearances that have to be obtained from the Union Home Ministry. I have also personally appealed to the Union Home Minister in this regard and hope to get the permission soon,” he said.

Expressing confidence that the experiment would be successful, the Minister said, “In 2003, a similar experiment that was carried out for 83 days was successful. About 60% of seeding was done from Bengaluru and remaining from Hubballi then.”

‘Just rumours’

Dismissing fears that cloud seeding in Karnataka would bring rain in the neighbouring States, the Minister said, “These are just rumours spread by those who do not know the physics of cloud seeding. At the most, there can be rain at a distance of 15 to 20 km away from the site of seeding. The government is doing this in the interest of farmers.”

Daily reports of cloud seeding will be publicised through the media. A website would also be developed and it would have all details and daily reports for the benefit of people, he added.

However, many meteorologists have warned that cloud seeding is a costly “experiment” with no guarantee of rains. There have been three experiments in Karnataka since the 1970s and the record has been patchy, said an expert.