Clouded judgment

A senior civic official said, "The radar tower will be built and the radar installed in three-four days. The aircraft is also stationed at Ozhar base in Nashik."

Bangalore-based Agni Aviation got the Rs 8 crore contract to seed clouds for 60 days. The radar is to determine favourable weather conditions within 200 km radius of the catchment areas.

September 2 was decided upon on the basis of a report submitted by Agni. "Agni Aviation has given a go-ahead for the experiment," said Anil Diggikar, Additional Municipal Commissioner.

Aerial cloud seeding is done by releasing chemicals by aircraft. Silver iodide is ignited and sprinkled in the clouds through an aircraft at a height of 18,000 to 35,000 ft.

However, a civic official, on the condition of anonymity, expressed scepticism over the potency of cloud seeding being done so late in the rainy season. "The monsoon is obviously on the wane in the month of September, which leaves a doubt about how favourable the conditions will be. We have lost precious time. It should have been done much earlier," he said.

BMC currently has only 7.5 lakh ml of water supply as against the 12 lakh ml last year. This will last just 200 days. A 15 per cent water cut has already been imposed and this is likely to double after the Ganesh festival.

"Shantilal Meckoni is already doing cloud seeding at a cost of Rs 8 lakh for the last one month but it rained 50mm on just one day as conditions were not favourable. Lake levels have decreased. If this continues, it will be a 30 per cent water cut for the entire year," said the official.

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