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.