Warning systems to be repaired

VADODARA, April 1: The State unit of the meteorology department, Government of India, has decided to sent a team of experts to all the about 10 districts of Gujarat where its state-of-the-art Cyclone Warning Dissemination Systems CWDSs have developed some snags.This follows repeated requests by the districts including Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Bhavnagar, Khambat and Gandhidham that their CWDSs required technical repairs as they did not work during their recent respective tests.

Met department director R K Bakliwal told Express Newsline from Ahmedabad that his department had recently been informed about the snags and he had decided to send a team for the purpose. He, however, denied information about the exact number of the non-functional machines. He said the CWDSs were useful during the pre-monsoon season, when atmospheric disturbances were likely.

The hi-tech machine, functional at as many as 19 districts in Gujarat and 11 in Maharashtra for more than three years, was connected with INSAT satellite and would blow a siren immediately on receiving a message. The main centres were, however, set up in Mumbai, Calcutta and Madras, he said. Meanwhile, senior officials of the district collectorate alleged that the equipment here has been lying non-functional since the past two years and despite repeated reminders, no expert had been sent from Ahmedabad. Bakliwal, however, assured action in fortnight or two.