Karnataka approves cloud seeding to combat rainfall deficit

The Karnataka government has approved an emergency cloud seeding programme to combat a significant monsoon rainfall deficit. The initiative, costing approximately Rs. 28.52 crore, is scheduled to run for 60 days, covering 200 hours of operations. The program aims to prioritize regions experiencing 50-60 percent rainfall deficits to prevent potential shortages of drinking water, fodder for cattle, and crop failure.

Water Resources Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy announced that three specialized committees—Monitoring, Technical, and Field Operations and Evaluation—will be established to oversee the project. The Technical Committee will include experts from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), and the India Meteorological Department.

While previous cloud seeding attempts in the state saw success rates of 18 to 20 percent, the government aims for a 30 percent success rate to deem the project worthwhile. Operations will be conducted across the state's four revenue divisions, contingent upon the availability of suitable clouds, with expected rainfall occurring within a 15-km radius of the seeding sites.