Maharashtra Govt plans cloud seeding in Vidarbha, Marathwada if monsoon is below par

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In New Delhi on Tuesday, Union Earth Sciences Minister Harsh Vardhan announced that this year’s forecast had been slashed from 93 per cent to 88 per cent. If rainfall is than 90 per cent, it is considered a drought year. Maharashtra is already reeling under a deepening agrarian crisis, with parts of Vidarbha and Marathwada witnessing a several droughts. Unseasonal rain and hailstorm had hit rabi crop, too.

State Agriculture Minister Eknath Khadse on Tuesday said that cloud seeding would be taken up in drought-prone areas of Vidharbha and Marathwada from June-end. The state relief and rehabilitation department headed by Khadse has floated tenders for cloud seeding.

Senior officials said the government would go ahead with these experiments only if the monsoon forecast comes true. Senior officials said that the government is looking at international agencies that undertake the cloud-seeding exercise.

There are predictions of a sluggish monsoon in June and July. The government is hoping that there is room for sufficient precipitation during the cloud seeding experiments.

A government report shows that there was an increase in the days of dry spells during last monsoon. Over 63 per cent of Maharashtra had witnessed below average rain in 2014.

A poor monsoon spells disaster for farmers and Maharashtra has already witnessed the highest number of suicide by farmers reeling under losses. Another spell of drought will deepen the agrarian crisis, officials admitted.