Though a normal and early, monsoon has been predicted this year, the State Water Resources Department is all set to take up cloud-seeding from mid-June. Global tenders have been called for companies to bid for the proposed cloud-seeding and a ‘token grant’ of Rs 1 crore has been allotted for a re-run of ‘Project Varuna.’

“We are planning to take up cloud-seeding from around June 15. We have had good pre-monsoon showers so far -- in fact, such good pre-monsoon showers have not occurred in Karnataka in nearly 50 years. However, this is no guarantee for a good monsoon. We don’t want to take any chances,” said Water Resources Secretary S J Channabasappa.

He said that by June 11, the Department hopes to have various companies responding to its tender notification so that they can zero in on one company.

However, the new Water Resources/ Irrigation Minister (when appointed) will have to get this approved through the Cabinet. “But we want to be prepared for it, as it has to start by June 15, when the monsoons arrive. We will carry out cloud-seeding till the rains end. This is not to create rain, just an accelerating agent to increase the rain during the monsoon. If there is 10 mm rainfall normally, cloud-seeing will increase it to 12 or 13 mm,” said Mr Channabasappa.

The move to go in for cloud-seeding despite predictions of normal monsoon was also motivated by the fact that neighbouring States Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh have already begun the process -- Maharashtra has even set aside Rs 19 crore for it.

Expert view

The department was taking up cloud-seeding in different parts of the State on the advice of “meteorologists, experts and the companies,” who all felt that the operations should not be suspended after just one round. Cloud-seeding operations should be taken up two-three years consecutively for good effect, they felt.

Further, the water levels in major reservoirs have not reached expected heights yet, despite the recent rains. “Pre-monsoon showers have only served to recharge ground-water, the water-levels have not reached any great heights,” the Secretary told Deccan Herald.

Token grants allotted for various new projects have been channelised to fund cloud-seeding initially, but the funds will have to be re-appropriated in the new budget. “Last year, the Irrigation Department bore the burden of the entire expense (Rs 5 crore), as it was done in a hurry. It should be provided for in the general budget this time,” he said.

Is it necessary?

Scientists working in the field of oceanic and atmospheric sciences feel that it may not be economic to go in for cloud-seeding when normal rains are predicted.

“Scientifically, it is not well-established that cloud-seeding produces desired results in rainfall. If there is less rainfall, it may be an option, but it is a political decision,” said a senior scientist.

But scientists and weathermen both concur that good pre-monsoons need not necessarily mean a good monsoon.

Bangalore Meteorological Centre Director Dr A L Koppar said, when contacted, that while 21 districts in the State have received excess rainfall, six have normal rainfall and one district -- Belgaum -- had minus - 29 per cent deficient rainfall.

“The India Meteorological Department has predicted normal monsoon this year -- in fact, there is 80 per cent probability of above-normal rainfall and only four per cent probability of drought,” Dr Koppar said.

Karnataka receives 1,200 mm average rainfall annually, and 75 per cent of this is during the monsoon season. “The previous history of drought (for the last three years) has been too high,” he pointed out. This may have been a reason for the ‘precautionary’ cloud-seeding.