Southern States - Karnataka   

Cloud seeding operations may start next week

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore Aug. 11. The cloud seeding operations to be undertaken by an American firm will tentatively commence from August 18.

The Minister for Water Resources, H.K.Patil, told presspersons here today that a specially equipped aircraft had already left from the United States and it was expected to land here on Monday night. Supported by a radar that would be placed in all airports in the State by rotation, the aircraft would use silver nitrate for the cloud seeding operations and there would be rains in a given area within about 30 minutes.

Mr. Patil said the present operation was very different from what was undertaken in the past. It was a totally scientific application that had been tried out in other countries.

The State Government thought it fit to opt for cloud seeding since the rainfall this year was scanty in most places, including the catchment areas of the State. While the normal average rainfall was 1,190 mm., it was 1,000 mm. in 2001, 812 mm. in 2002, and there was a 20 per cent deficit so far this year. The cloud seeding operation, which would extend over a 90-day period, would cost the Government Rs. 5.65 crore.

The Minister said that as per information received by the Government, the Chairman of the Central Water Commission, Jayasheelan, who was expected to arrive here on Tuesday to inspect the Upper Tunga Project and other works forming part of the Tungabhadra Board, had cancelled the programme. Reports had it that the inspection was fixed after the complaints made to the Union Government by the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N.Chandrababu Naidu.

Mr. Patil said that the executive engineers of the Irrigation Department, T.V.Ramachandrappa and H.P.Jayaprakash, connected with the works pertaining to the main canal of the Upper Tunga Project had been suspended on the charges of malpractice.

The engineers had released financial guarantees totalling Rs. 9.61 crore to the contractors concerned even before the work was completed. Action would also be initiated against the engineers.

Following the incident, he said, directions had been issued to the Managing Director of the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam (KNN) to ensure that all the financial guarantees given by the contractors were deposited in the headquarters of the KNN rather than keeping them in the custody of the executive engineers concerned.

The financial guarantees pertaining to all the other contracts would also be verified, he said.

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