Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

Row between Irrigation Dept., Agni Aviation

By M. Malleswara Rao

Hyderabad Dec. 7. A row has arisen between the Irrigation Department and Agni Aviation, the Indian subsidiary of Weather Modification Inc., over the amount to be paid for the cloud seeding operations undertaken in Anantapur and other areas recently, while the Government itself is contemplating continuing this exercise next year also as a long-term drought-proofing measure.

The contract signed with Agni Aviation was for undertaking the experiment for 90 days for an amount of Rs 3.68 crores. The amount covers all costs, including about Rs 15,000 payable per flying hour towards the plane and Rs 4,500 for fuel per hour, with the service from the radar which was installed already Karnataka for that State's Project Varun, coming free of cost. The expenditure on flares and on precipitators/raw material, sodium chloride, which, however, was meagre, were extra.

The tiff arose with the firm insisting on the full amount saying that the operations were closed at the instance of the Government 29 days in advance of the contracted period and for that, it was not responsible. The Government, on the other hand, contends that the areas where the experiment was undertaken, did not gain "as much as promised," and that it is unjust to claim money for the 29 days too. According to K. Bhagyatha Reddy, Chief Enginerer, Minor Irrigation, who heads the mission, the Irrigation Department is trying to negotiate a 30 per cent reduction in the payment but if the total amount is insisted upon, it does not mind approaching the court. Agni Aviation, however, has sent in feelers offering a 15 per cent reduction.

The Government, meanwhile, is planning to take up cloud seeding for Anantapur area on a continuous basis, engaging any other firm through global bidding if the attitude of the present contractor is not satisfactory. Plans have been drawn up targeting the South-West monsoon when positive results are most likely with rain-bearing clouds being sighted more frequently. Unlike now, the Government wants to ground the next instalment of the experiment in time by June. For making this a possibility, it is likely to issue global tenders in March itself.

As far as the results under the first experiment are concerned, which was launched on September 17 and closed on November 18, Agni Aviation and the Government hold diametrically opposite views, the first dubbing it as successful to the extent clouds were available and the latter treating it as a failure at least in the case of Anantapur.

The firm admitted that it did not create rain where there were no clouds but claimed a 15-20 per cent rainfall enhancement when they were present. R. Vijayakumar of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, who was appointed as a consultant, added a new dimension to the controversy by seeking 2 per cent commission of Rs 7.36 lakhs as per the agreement signed with him.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Life in the sad lane
• Sitting perpetually on a powder keg
• Bleeding wounds very hard to heal
• Row between Irrigation Dept., Agni Aviation
• Holiday for schools
• Transco to purchase power for rabi
• When his journey was cut short

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu