The Indian Express                    04.04.2013

Fearing worst, BMC to fall back on ‘failed’ cloud seeding

The drought situation in the state threatening to sap up whatever water is available this summer, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is getting ready to be prepared for the worst, in case monsoon is delayed, by employing 'cloud seeding' technology, which was incidentally considered a failed endeavour earlier.

The civic administration has been continuously sending cloud observation and other scientific data to the Pune-based Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) to prepare a feasibility report for another cloud seeding experiment in Mumbai.

"We are continuously interacting with IITM officials and sending them regular data for a feasibility study to conduct a cloud seeding experiment in Mumbai.

In case monsoon is delayed we want to be prepared for artificial rain," said R Bamble, Chief Hydraulic Engineer of BMC.

After the experiment failed to click earlier, the BMC had decided to conduct the experiment regularly during monsoon. However, officials now claim the experiment will be conducted only if there is a dire need.

The controversial cloud seeding proposal of the civic administration, which was expected to augment rainfall in monsoon last year was scrapped after most of the lakes supplying water to the city started to fill up. The proposal had come under flak as the cost had shot up from Rs 12 crore to Rs 24 crore.

After Israel's national water company, Mekorot, which was roped in to conduct the experiment refused to supply aircraft needed for cloud seeding, the civic body had decided to rent one from a South African company. Amid ballooning costs, confusion and lack of clarity over the success of the procedure, the BMC had delayed the procedure for over two months.

A similar experiment in 2009 had failed to augment water in Tansa and Modak Sagar lakes, where a Rs 8-crore experiment was conducted.