BHUBANESWAR: With Odisha reeling under drought-like situation, India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) prediction of rain in next couple of days has raised hopes among the farmers. The continuing dry spell in Odisha is likely to be compensated by normal rainfall that is expected from July 12, said LS Rathore, Director General of Meteorology here on Tuesday.
Worrying predictions about less rainfall in the State due to El Nino factoring in has put the State Government on alert. The Government has already prepared an action plan to meet any exigency.
But, Rathore’s statement that Odisha is expected to receive normal rainfall for about six days from July 12, which will make up for the deficit rainfall, has brought some relief for the Government. Rathore was speaking at a conference organised by IMD Bhubaneswar on ‘Users’ meet on severe weather event.
“A low pressure formation in the Bay of Bengal will cause rainfall in peninsular and East India. We are expecting Central India to cope up with the deficit rainfall, but there is no hope yet for Western India,” Rathore said. He also spoke about the vital role played by media in informing weather related details. The media has matured and reporting has become more accurate now, but there is a need for greater interaction between IMD and reporters, he said.
Paradip is expected to get its first Doppler weather radar before the cyclonic season commences in October. The proposal was first floated in 2012, but got delayed due to lack of clearance from the Home Ministry as the manufacturing units of the radar were located in China.
Informing about the radar, IMD, Bhubaneswar Director Sarat Sahu said they received clearance for the radar from the Ministry recently and are hopeful of installing it by October. With the installation of the Doppler radar in Paradip, a greater accuracy in weather prediction (rainfall, wind direction, thundersquall) will be achieved. The radar costs about `15 crore. Special Relief Commissioner PK Mohapatra said every year about 300 people in the State die due to lightning. “With increased accuracy, we will be capable of advising people to stay indoors in case of a thundersquall,” he said.