No info yet on result of cloud-seeding in Marathwada: Official

Although cloud seeding project has been in operation in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra for nearly two months, the administration is yet to have any data on the rainfall occurred due to it, a senior official said on Thursday.

The official also said that despite the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon from the country, the state government has not yet issued directions to stop the cloud seeding project.

"In order to tackle the problem of rainfall shortage, cloud seeding project was undertaken in Marathwada by the state government. A radar was installed in Aurangabad to fix the operational area for cloud seeding in the region," Divisional Deputy Commissioner Parag Soman told PTI.

Cloud seeding is a type of weather modification in which chemicals like silver iodide, potassium iodide, dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) or liquid propane are dispersed in the air to act as cloud condensation to alter its microphysical processes.

"This project has been going on for the last 50 days. Cloud seeding has been done over Aurangabad, Beed, Latur, Jalna, Parbhani, Hingoli and Buldhana districts," he said.

"But we don't have any data yet on where and how much of rainfall occurred due to cloud seeding in the operational area. The data of rainfall is sent by the operating team directly to the state government...We can't tell how much rainfall occurred in a specific area due to cloud seeding," he added.

"Besides, our office has not yet received any guidelines so far to stop this project, though the monsoon has withdrawn. This project may continue till we see clouds in the sky," Soman said.

The official added that his office also does not have any details regarding the cost of the project.

Meanwhile, as per the data released by the revenue department, Marathwada region received 588.18 mm rainfall in this monsoon season, which is 75 per cent of its average rainfall. Beed, Latur and Osmanabad are the worst-affected districts.