MUMBAI: The BMC will take a final call on cloud seeding next week,
after the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) submits feasibility
data.

On Thursday, the civic body organised a video-conference
at the Bandra-Kurla Complex office of Mekorot-Israel’s national water
company-on the possibility of cloud seeding to induce artificial rain in
the catchment areas of two of the six lakes that supply water to
Mumbai. Also present at the conference were officials from the Indian
Institute of Tropical Meteorlogy (IITM) and the IMD. The BMC plans to
rope in Mekorot for the project.

“The firm will provide
aircraft, manpower and equipment for cloud seeding,” said additional
municipal commissioner Rajiv Jalota. “But we have to wait for a report
from the IMD, which is studying cloud cover with satellite
imagery. The IMD will also tell us if their radar will be good enough
for us to use in our cloud seeding experiment. It will let us know all
this next week.”

Jalota said that after the video-conference,
the modalities about the experiment were discussed with Mekorot, which
is known for its expertise in cloud seeding. IITM has informed the civic
body that Israel
has extensively developed the technology and have been using it for
over 50 years. Last year, the BMC signed a memorandum of understanding
with Israel’s water and energy department. In 2009, the BMC conducted
160 trials on cloud seeding, but failed.

If the feasibility
report turns out to be positive, the experiment will be conducted in the
Bhatsa and Upper Vaitarna catchments. “As for Modak Sagar and Tansa,
they are very near the overflow mark,” Jalota said.

The
experiment will involve airplanes sprinkling sodium chloride or silver
iodide crystals on clouds to induce precipitation and subsequently rain.
The base for the planes will be the Ozar airfield in Nasik.