Indigenously-built radar to miss deadline again
TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: The indigenously fabricated Doppler radar which was to be mounted in Goa four years ago~ to help predict weather conditions~ will miss yet another deadline ahead of this year’s monsoon.
The Indian Metrological Department (IMD) New Delhi, is still processing the proposal for the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) radar for Goa after the Chinese-made radar was shifted out of the state for security reasons.
IMD, Goa in-Charge K V Singh told Herald that officials in Delhi are still working on the proposal for the purchase of a radar for the state. “There has been no finalization yet,” he reported.
The utilization of Doppler radar is a sensitive issue only in coastal areas, Singh said, adding that the department is ready with all necessary infrastructure.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences has ruled out the installation of a state-of-the-art Doppler radar, costing Rs 5 crore, which is lying idle at the weather observatory after its arrival from China since April, 2010.
The decision to install the sophisticated equipment was taken following death of around 70 fishermen from Goa as a result of the Phyan Cyclone. In the absence of a radar, the IMD had failed to warn the trawler owners about the oncoming storm. The Met department’s Altinho unit had de-commissioned the old radar in December 2008.
The Met department was hoping that the new high-tech sophisticated computer-operated Doppler radar would enable them to render near-accurate forecast, especially during monsoons.
Meanwhile, IMD plans to install seven automatic rain gauges in various parts of the state to insure real time mapping of rainfall, has also been delayed due to some administrative reasons. The entire project costing Rs 15 lakh has been sanctioned by the Union Ministry.
