Dharamsala observatory sans observer

The observatory was being manned by a teacher who was till recently teaching here, but has been transferred on promotion. He was getting Rs 390 per month as honorarium and was attending to this work in addition to his normal duties.

The Central Government had spent between Rs 50,000 and Rs 60,000 on mordernisation and upgradation of the observatory. Now it is fitted with latest components like dry bulb thermometer, maximum and minimum thermometers, wet bulb thermometer, barometer, hydropgraph (automatic) and thermograph (automatic), anenometer, wing wave, rain gauge (ordinary) and rain gauge (automatic).

The observer is expected to change the graph at 8.30 sharp in the morning and take recording at 5.30 p.m.

The information collected thus is to be sent to the Regional Meteorological Centre at New Delhi which sends the data to different airports, seaports, dams, and farming universities. The Bhakra Beas Management Board and Pong Dam authorities had at times collected weather information from here directly. This observatory was known for accurate recording. Kailash Chand Katoch, who was handling this observatory, said that he had already informed the Central government in writing to make an alternate arrangement as he had been transferred on promotion.

Katoch had also received appreciation for being an excellent observer for the past 10 years.

He said he had seen the snowfall up to the point where the observatory was situated but now the snowline had changed on account of constant increase of population, decimation of forests and land erosion.