The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Experts sceptical about cloud-seeding

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 11, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Experts sceptical about cloud-seeding

By M. Malleswara Rao

HYDERABAD, OCT. 10. Experts in meteorology are quite sceptical about the benefits that are supposed to have accrued from the cloud-seeding operations for which the Government has so far paid nearly Rs. 7 crores to contractors.

After 77 days of cloud-seeding, the gain in 3,750 villages across 15 districts has been virtually negligible — less than 2 mm per village. This, despite availability of clouds on most days under a normal South-West monsoon. As the contract with Agni Aviation is valid for 105 days, the exercise to coax the clouds will continue up to November 4.

`No proven technology'

The operations are continuing amid criticism by experts of the India Meterological Department who assert that there is no proven technology till today to modify the weather.

J. V. M. Naidu, Director, Cyclone Warning Centre, Visakhapatnam, has come out against many features of the contract. He is on the five-member committee appointed by the Government to give timely advice.

Company version

Critics say the benefit from cloud-seeding is not commensurate with the huge amounts of money and effort expended. However, company officials say otherwise.

During the last 11 weeks, 890 ejectables (silver iodide) have been dropped, and 859 hygros and 121 flares (calcium chloride in both cases) ignited inside the clouds.

Company confident

The company claims that the operations have resulted in rain on 57 days, Kederu in Anantapur district reporting the maximum rainfall of 170 mm and Ozili in Nellore 72.6 mm.

Another objection of critics is that it will be futile to seed the clouds during the North-East monsoon, which would set in soon, since the clouds will not be rain-bearing.

Brushing all criticisms, the Government recently released payments to the company.

Vast benefits

Its stand is that any new technology should be welcomed and if it results in rain, the benefit to agriculture would be vast.

As per the contract, a further amount of Rs. 12 crores is reportedly due to the company towards hire of three Cessna planes and the two radars.

M. G. Gopal, Secretary, Rain Shadow Area Development, who heads the mission, however, says the criticisms are "individual opinions.''

Citing the `success stories' of China and the United States, he says the Government is determined to go ahead with the project.

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