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Journalism of Courage
Confronted with the likelihood of a failed monsoon, the increasingly concerned Government of Andhra Pradesh has launched a Rs 22-crore cloud-seeding project, hoping that it will cause rainfall in its parched districts. Even though cloud seeding has a very low success rate, the Government is desperate now that the state is faced with the prospect of failed crops and acute power shortage due to a fall in hydropower generation.
The project will be undertaken by two light aircraft fitted with pods containing calcium chloride, which will be ignited in the clouds to precipitate condensation and thus cause rain. Commercial Taxes Minister K Ramakrishna who launched the project said, “Cloud seeding will be done from July 24 to November 30 and areas with the largest water reservoirs will be targeted first. Till July 27, the aircraft will conduct seeding over Hyderabad and neighbouring Ranga Reddy districts and then move on to Telangana region.”
Expensive as the project is, it is hoped that it will save the state from a major crisis. Agriculture Department officials said that about 35-lakh hectares under rain-fed cultivation have already been affected due to the delayed monsoon. Agriculture Minister Raghuveera Reddy further confirmed that at least 12 districts are in adversity due to lack of rains and there are fears of crop failure as sowing has already taken place in more than 15-lakh hectares. According to the Met Department, Hyderabad, Srikakulam, Adilabad, Karimnagar, Medak, Nizamabad and Cuddapah districts have received deficient rainfall.
Besides, water levels in reservoirs where power is generated are also falling, further deepening the state’s predicament. Energy and Coal Minister Shabbir Ali Mohammed said hydel power generation fell to 12.66 million units this week, down from 14 million units in the second week of July. This is against the usual 45 million units generated every year during this period.
