BENGALURU: The ambitious cloud-seeding project taken up by the state government -- Project Varshadhari -- has run into rough weather due to the presence of multiple airports in and around Bengaluru.
As a result, aircraft involved in the cloud-seeding project had to deviate from their planned course at the last minute.
In order to address the issue, the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department (RDPR) which is implementing the project has decided to hold a meeting with Air Traffic Control of three major airports in the city.
The meeting, which will involve heads of Air Traffic Control at Jakkur Airfield, HAL Airport and Yelahanka Air Force Base, is aimed at addressing the problem of lack of necessary clearances.
Sources in Monitoring and Advisory Committee, Cloud Seeding Programme 2017, said that the issue arose after an aircraft took off from Jakkur to seed clouds in parts of Tumakuru district. “We have been repeatedly facing the problem of ATC clearance, which has prevented cloud-seeding in catchment areas of the state. Therefore, we have decided to hold the meeting with officials concerned so that they will provide the necessary permission on time to complete the project,” the source said.
Due to lack of co-ordination, cloud-seeding is yet to be taken up in catchment areas of the state, he added.
Seeding done in 4 districts
On Sunday, an aircraft conducted cloud-seeding in parts of Bengaluru, Kolar, Ramanagara and Mandya districts. According to RDPR department, seeding was conducted in six places after the aircraft started its operation at 3.14 pm. Among the taluks where cloud seeding was done include Malavalli (Mandya), Kanakapura, Nelamanagala (Bengaluru Urban and Rural) and others.
More rains in store in state
According to Indian Meterological Department, fairly widespread rain has been forecast for South- and North-Interior Karnataka. Rainfall is expected to be widespread in coastal Karnataka over the next week.