According to a state government official, it had thought of doing early cloud seeding this year.
The state government has decided to drop the cloud-seeding exercise this year citing red tapism as the reason.
According to a state government official, it had thought of doing early cloud seeding this year. "We had even invited tenders and got a good response. But the next course of action — seeking NOCs from the union home, aviation and foreign ministries — is a complicated and lengthy affair. Also, our department minister Eknath Khadse resigned, hence, the entire process could not move ahead in the last one month. Now, it is too late to go for it," the official added.
Another official said that the government can't go for cloud seeding just for the heck of it. "As per our calculation, just setting up machinery for it will incur 90% of total cost of the project. Last year, we spent Rs27 crore but did not have authentic rainfall data to claim the success. Hence, we recommended to the government to drop cloud seeding this year," he added.
When contacted, director of state disaster management cell Suhas Diwase confirmed that they had cancelled the cloud-seeding project this year despite the good response to bidding. "The Indian Meteorological Department had anyway predicated a good monsoon this year. So, we may go for cloud seeding next year," he added.
He also said a delegation from China had visited and expressed keenness to share its cloud-seeding technology. "We are not yet equipped to adopt this technology. Therefore, we have asked IIT-B to tie up with the Chinese firm and develop the technology in India itself," Diwase said.
Last year, Bangalore-based Khyati Systems was hired for the cloud-seeding project. It was carried out in the parched land of Marathwada and Nashik region. The operation was carried out for 113 hours from which 100 were given free by the firm.
"The cloud-seeding exercise permission-seeking formalities should be completed by May-end. The groundwork should start between July and August. In these months, we can get a satisfactory result... Next year, we will start the process early," said another official.
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