Aimed at strengthening weather forecast system and expanding the network of meteorological services, India will be completely covered under Doppler Weather Radars that helps in accurate prediction. The national weather forecaster – India Meteorological Department (IMD) – announced to cover the entire country under sophisticated radar network by deploying 25 additional Doppler Weather Radars (DWRs) to predict extreme weather events more accurately and establish 720 District Agro Meteorological Units (DAMUs) to provide more precise farm-related advisories and forecasts to farmers by 2025.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh announced this during an event here to celebrate 148th foundation day of the Met department.
DOPPLER RADAR
Doppler radar is a specialized tracking system that uses the Doppler effect to track weather conditions and calculate information about the location and velocity of a storm or other forms of extreme weather events. Forecasting with the help of doppler radar is more timely and accurate which can be critical during safe evacuations in the likelihood of extreme weather events.
WHAT THE MINISTER SAID
Singh said that the Radar Network increased from mere 15 in 2013 to 37 in 2023 and 25 more in next 2-3 years.
DrJitendra Singh dedicated 4 Doppler Weather Radar Systems to the Western Himalayan States of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. He also dedicated 200 Agro Automated Weather Stations to the Nation. The Minister also released eight publications of the IMD and gave away awards to school children and also felicitated the best performing offices and officers of IMD.
DISTRICT AGRO METEOROLOGICAL UNITS
Under Agro-Meteorological Services, 660 District Agro Meteorological Units (DAMUs) would be installed by 2025 and increase from 3,100 blocks in 2023 to 7,000 blocks in 2025.
The Minister pointed out that the warning and advisory services are helping farmers and fishermen to improve their economy as found from a latest survey by National Centre for Applied Economic Research. For example, the investment in monsoon mission programme has resulted in return of 50 rupees for investment of each one rupee.
The Minister further added that the farmers below the poverty line specially have benefited immensely as Agromet Advisories at District and Block Levels are used effectively by crores of farmers during various stages of farming and the service is being expanded. The web GIS services launched by IMD last year have been augmented further with addition of hazard and vulnerability element in collaboration with other state and central agencies is helping the public, disaster managers and stakeholders to initiate timely response action to mitigate the disasters further, the Minister noted.
