ACTION PLAN FOR ARTIFICIAL RAINS IN ANDHRA PRADESH

Prof. T. Shivaji Rao,

Member, Advisory Committee on Artificial Rains,

Government of Andhra Pradesh

Director, Centre for Environmental Studies,

GITAM Engineering College,Visakhapatnam- 530045, INDIA

e-mail: [email protected]

and

Dr. J. V. M Naidu,

Director, Cyclone Warning Centre,Visakhapatnam – 530017, INDIA

e-mail: [email protected]

The Southwest Monsoon in India is one of the major synoptic systems that give nearly 75% of the annual rainfall to the country. Obviously, the Indian agricultural production more rests with performance of this monsoon. Although the drought years are less than 10% in the last century, prediction and management of drought is yet to be the most challenging task.

Although the statistical models developed by several organizations on forecast of southwest monsoon performance fairly agree in normal years, they fail in extreme cases when droughts and floods occur as a consequence. However when there is severe drought in the country, Governments and public look for remedial measures to mitigate drought after occurrence of the event.

The major drought effects, such as decrease in agriculture and food production, unemployment of agriculture labour, drinking water scarcity, decrease in hydro electric power generation, loss of industrial production and unemployment among industrial workers etc. are some of the major problems to be faced by the people and the Government. One such occasion, which occurred in the year 1987 drought, has triggered an action oriented plan to combat drought by augmenting rainfall.

One such source was the cloud seeding experiment to augment the rainfall. The status of the experiments conducted in India was reviewed and some steps to be taken to try similar experiments in Andhra Pradesh by a seminar conducted in 1988 when experts like Padmabhushan Dr. P. Koteswaram former Director General, IMD, Dr. A. S. R. Murthy expert in warm cloud seeding from Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, PUNE, and several Chief Engineers and conservators of Forests took an active part in the deliberations at the end of the seminar a technical report was prepared on Artificial Rain making with a suggestion to start work on the programme presented in detail in the report. In this connection it may be stated that the United Nations Environmental programme also brought out a good publication on augmenting water resources to fight the drought conditions and the same may be seen from the following website.

http://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/Publications/TechPublications/TechPub-8a/index.asp#1

Since the UNEP has also recommended cloud seeding experiments to mitigate the impact of drought it is necessary to conduct experiments on both warm clouds and cold clouds to augment the annual rainfall in the selected catchment areas of reservoirs and river basins. For commencement of any cloud seeding experiments in Andhra Pradesh it is worthwhile to examine the decisions taken earlier by eminent meteorologist Prof. P. Koteswaram and Environmentalist Prof. Shivaji Rao. So, the full report on “Artificial Rainfall and Cloud Seeding” along with the Government of Andhra Pradesh orders are reproduced below.

Report on “Artificial Rains and Aerial Seeding” conducted by Forest Department, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh in March 1988 at Hyderabad are reproduced below

The seminar on Artificial Rains and aerial seeding organized by the Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation in collaboration with the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Minister for Forests, Sri.Gali Muddu Krishnam Naidu on 19-3-1988, in the Jubilee Hall, Hyderabad. Several participants representing various departments including Central and State Governments, Universities and Research Institutions participated in the Seminar. The officers of the state Government representing the departments of Forests, Irrigation, Public Health, Urban & Rural Water Supply, Pollution Control etc., attended. Various recommendations were made by way of resolutions both for the warm and cold cloud seeding for artificial rains, indicating the programme of action both for short-term and long-term needs of the state. The resolutions include identification of acute rain deficit areas by continuous monitoring of the rainfall of the various parts of the districts and providing necessary equipment and technical man power requirements by the Government of India and taking up cloud seeding experiment by the State Government immediately from the year 1988-89 and establishing an experimental research station on long term basis for 5 years by Government of India. The resolutions were also passed for aerial sowing of seed and aerial spraying for improving the forest growth. These resolutions are incorporated in the report.

After due discussions, the Hon’ble Minister for Forests constituted a working Group for preparation of a report indicating the plan of action for “Artificial Rains” with following members:

1. Prof.T.Shivaji Rao,

Prof.of Environmental Engineering,

Andhra University &

Member, Environmental Appraisal Committee for Industrial Projects,

Ministry of Environment and Forests,

Govt. of India.

2. Prof.P.Koteshwaram,

Retired Director General,

Indian Meteorology Department

And Ex. Vice President, World Meteorology Organisation

3. Sri.J.Raja Rao,

Commissioner of Project Formulation and

Ex.Officio Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh

Irrigation and C.A.D. Department (Retd)

The working Group after prolonged discussions on the Scientific, Technical and Economic aspects of the short-term and long-term proposals for artificial rains has prepared the report and submitted to Government.

(Sd)Prof.T.SHIVAJI RAO (Sd)P.KOTESWARAM (Sd)J.RAJA RAO

Hyderabad / 23-3-88

INTRODUCTION

The rainfall in India is uneven and undependable ranging from 10 cms in Rajasthan to 1000cms at Chirrapunji in Meghalaya and North Eastern states spread over only about 3 to 4 months in a year carrying large volumes of water into the sea. This uneven and erratic distribution of rainfall in space and time is leaving 1/3^rd of the country in drought conditions and at the same time another 1/3^rd of the area is in heavy floods resulting in enormous loss of life. Similar is the situation in Andhra Pradesh also. It is observed for the last 4 years continuous scarcity of the rainfall is occurring in parts of Rayalaseema and Telangana and upland areas of the coastal districts leading to severe drought conditions and shortage of water for drinking, irrigation, power generation and building up of the ground water for agriculture purpose, deficiency of rainfall is attributed to deforestation and perhaps to probable changes in the climatic conditions in these areas. Review of the rainfall data for the last 100 years shows that continuous drought conditions for 4 years never occurred in succession. Since shortage of drinking water causes large-scale incidence of water borne diseases like dysentery, diarrhoea, typhoid, cholera, jaundice etc., top priority has to be given for drinking water supply not only to the twin cities and urban areas like Warangal, Visakhapatnam and Tirupati but also to the rural areas in the drought prone regions. In the absence of sufficient rainfall the ground water is also very limited and is getting fast depleted that large number of agricultural and garden crops are damaged. Therefore the only way to tackle these problems is to take up the “artificial rain experiments” on a trial basis in the first instance in the catchment areas of the twin-cities water supply reservoirs namely Osman Sagar, Himayatsagar, Miralam tanks. The next priority must be given for the areas of lowest rainfall in the districts of Anantapur, Mahaboobnagar etc., It is proved beyond doubt that the artificial rain experiments have been successful else where in India and abroad in raising 22% rainfall by cloud seeding. Immediate action is to be taken to start these experiments with necessary equipment and trained personnel from the Indian Weather Modification Organization or other concerned agencies in the areas mentioned above.

A brief outline on the climatological features of Andhra Pradesh, the technology and results of experiments in artificial rain making in India and else where in the world is presented in this report.

An approximate estimate for the short and long-term programmes of Action on Artificial Rains are furnished. It may be possible for the Government to provide funds to the time of Rs. 25 lakhs for the experimental work on cloud seeding for 1988-89 from the Water and Land Management Training and Research Institute (WALAMTARI), which is getting substantial foreign aid for their research and training work. It may be possible for the Andhra Pradesh Council on Science and Technology, Government of Andhra Pradesh to provide funds for the long-term action programme on seeding of cold cloud involving an amount of Rs.7.5 crores for setting up the Experimental Station with the necessary equipment and technical man-power may be secured from the Government of India for the first 5 years (i.e) 1988-89 to 1993-1994.

I. CLIMATOLOGY OF ANDHRA PRADESH

(i) Rainfall:

Andhra Pradesh gets its rainfall from the South West monsoon from June to September: the North East monsoon in October-December and from tropical cyclones., during the pre-monsoon months of April-May and post monsoon months of October-November. Thus, there will be rain – bearing clouds in over some part of A.P., or other for nearly 7 months every year. The areas effected by the monsoons and cyclones are also different.

The South West monsoon gives rains in the Northern districts of Coastal Andhra Pradesh (Srikakulam to Krishna) and Telangana mainly from monsoon depression, which travels westward from the North Bay of Bengal across Orissa and Madhya Pradesh. The frequency of this depression is about one in 7 or 10 days, based on Meteorological observation for the past many decades, and they pour heavy-to-heavy rain in their South Western sectors covering about 250kms inland, flooding the river Godavari and its tributaries from the Vindhyas. In some years when the monsoon depressions are rare or when they move North-West wards over Uttar Pradesh, the Northern districts of Andhra Pradesh suffer scarcity of rainfall as happened in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts in 1987. Whenever there is a break in the Southwest monsoon activity over North India, there will be showers all over Andhra Pradesh including Rayalaseema benefiting many of the districts. The activity of the South West monsoon over North India and over Andhra Pradesh have an inverse relation with increases and decreases of rainfall as the monsoon activity shifted North or South.

The Northeast monsoon is confined to the Southern districts of Nellore, Prakasam and Chittoor and occasionally the other coastal districts for a day or two. Tamil Nadu and Nellore districts get most of its rain from this monsoon. This monsoon however is much more erratic than the Southwest monsoon and some times fails in many successive years.

The cyclone that hit the Andhra Pradesh coast are beneficial particularly in the pre-monsoon month of May as they give copious rains in the district that they hit and also along their path to the West or North West after they have weakened. They are however more numerous in the post monsoon month of October –November, when they destroy standing crops at the harvest stage by strong winds, rains and saline inundations from tidal waves or storm suges from the sea.

Although the Coastal districts and Telangana get rainfall from the monsoons and cyclones, the Rayalaseema districts suffer from lack of rains in most years as they lie in the rain shadow area of the western ghats and the South West monsoon empties its bountiful rain to the West of the ghats. The Northeast monsoon also avoids these districts except Chittoor to some extent, as sits rain will be confined to the East of the Eastern Ghats. Climatically Rayalaseema falls in a semi arid belt extending from the arid desert of West Rajasthan to Tamil Nadu. While the annual rainfall is low, the coefficient of variation is high rendering it doubly difficult for crops or even for drinking water. The hard rock area of these districts render availability of ground water also scarce The only hope for these districts is during break monsoon when Rayalaseema and adjoining districts of Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, Medak get rains.

Monsoon rainfall ceases over the plains of Northern and central India and monsoon disturbances travel westwards from the South and Central Bay over the Peninsula including Rayalaseema and adjoining districts. The only some source of water for Rayalaseema lies in he diversion of the water of river Krishna and Tungabhadra over these arid districts for which irrigation channels and reservoirs are being constructed for many years. The Telugu Ganga and Srisailam Right Bank Branch Canal are the latest schemes that will greatly benefit the people of these districts. The Srisailam Left Bank Canal to irrigate 3 lakhs acres of Nalgonda district has already been taken up. Another reliable method will be to construct a chain of reservoirs over the western ghats to store the copious rains over the westerns ghats and divert it over the peninsula This has to be a joint endeavour by the States of Maharahstra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

A scheme for diversion of rainfall falling on the western ghats –eastwards was suggested to the Government of India some years ago and is under investigation by the National Water Development Agency of the Government.

ii) CLOUDS AND CLOUD SEEDING:

As rain has to fall from clouds, there will be some clouds over all the districts of Andhra Pradesh during the monsoon season. The only problem with them is that they develop during day due to the sun’s heat and dissipate by the evening unless they are influenced by a cyclone or a depression . Rayalaseema and the Southern districts of Telangana also have such clouds due to depression some days. It should therefore be possible to use artificial cloud seeding to get some rain from such clouds. The area of formation of such cloud clusters can be forecast a day or two in advance by the meteorological centers at Hyderabad, Madras, Pune and Visakhapatnam. The cloud seeding equipment should be rushed to these areas to be in readiness to seed the clouds after they have developed. The seeding agency will be able to determine not only the possibility of development of seedable clouds a few hours before their birth but also the required amount of seeding material to be dropped into them by equipping themselves with a mini computer and using mathematical models. The clouds building up over the interior peninsula Rayalaseema adjoining Telangana will be mainly of the cold cloud type. Warm clouds will be confined to coastal areas. Hence, it is essential that cold cloud seeding should be taken up by the Government of India as an urgent measure in order to assist not only Rayalaseema and Telangana, but the large arid and semi-arid belt of India extending southward from Rajasthan to Tamil Nadu. Till suitable techniques are developed by the Government of India, it should be possible for the Andhra Pradesh Government to fund experiments using competent scientists in universities in the state and on loan from the central Government. Till dynamical cloud seeding techniques are developed by the IWMO it may utilize the warm cloud seeding techniques whenever possible in the area of lowest rainfall such as Anantapur and neighbouring pockets of Mahaboobnagar districts to start with.

II. SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF ARTIFICIAL RAINFALL

The Expert Committee examined the evidence presented by the scientists on various experiments conducted on warm-cloud seeding at Poona and the cold-cloud seeding in Israel. They have also noted hat grave concern expressed by various speakers at the Technical Session on Artificial rains about devastating impact of recurring droughts on public health, drinking water supplies, power generation, agriculture, forests and wild-life and the human environment. Most of the speakers emphasized on the urgent need to tackle the problem by using the latest technology on cloud-seeding.

The experiments conducted by the Rain and cloud physics Research Unit on cloud modification by means of salt seeding ground based generator during 1957-1966 indicated a statistically significant increase of rain by about 20% on seeded days (Ramana Murthy, 1968)

The Institute of Tropical Meteorology at Poona in collaboration with the Indian Meteorological Department conducted air-craft salt seeding of clouds over the catchment of Rehand reservoir in U.P. during the monsoon seasons of 1973 and 1974. Although the experiment was not randomized, the data from the limited number of rain-ganges in the catchment area showed an increase of rain-fall by 17% to 28% (Kapoor atal.1976)

Again aerial cloud seeding with common salt was done over the catchment of the Singanmakki river in Karnataka during the monsoon of 1975 when the water level in the reservoir showed an increase of 73.25. This increase was about 26% more than the highest increase recorded due to the natural rains in the preceding ten years when no cloud-seeding operations ere done.

The Tamil Nadu Government with the assistance of Atmospheric Incorporated, U.S.A., undertook cloud seeding through Silver Iodide pyrotechnics during the summer monsoon season of 1975. Based on the Radar observations, the American firm claimed extra rain-fall increase of 20% to 25% due to cloud seeding.

With the discovery that the deficiency of ice crystals in cloud prevent them from giving normal rain-fall, attempts are made to correct that deficiency through the introduction of artificial ice nuclei like Silver Iodide at a concentration of about one nuclei per liter of cloud so that precipitation occurs by ice-crystal chain reaction mechanism. This method was widely used in Australia, U.S.A. and Israel where convincing and significant increase in rain-fall on seeded days was noticed. The cloud-seeding experiments in Tasmania showed a 15% to 20% extra rain-fall in the water storage reservoirs (target area) which are highly significant (warner 1973 b). The results of the work on cold-cloud seeding in Israel showed extra rain-fall by 15% over the catchment of Tiberias lake at a highly statistical significance (Gagin 1981)

i) COLD CLOUD SEEDING:

But introduction of massive dosages of silver iodide into the clouds at minus 10^oC at the rate of 100 to 1000 nuclei per liter of cloud air knows as dynamic seeding. In this process the conversion of super-cooled water in the cloud into ice-crystals (through Bergson-Findesen reaction mechanized) releases latent heat that increases buoyancy, thereby increasing the size of the cloud with the probability of cloud merger and area-wise enhancement of rain-fall (Woodley and Sax 1976). Dynamic seeding of individual clouds on a random basis in USA indicated significant increase in rain-fall by a factor of three (simpson et.al;1973)

The dynamic seeding of convective clouds in South Florida indicated 20% additional rain-fall over the 13000 km total target area and nearly 50% more in the area defined as he floating target (Woodley et al 1977)

ii) WARM CLOUD SEEDING:

In order to obtain additional rain-fall from low level clouds whose tops like below the freezing level (known as warm clouds) aerial seeding of the clouds is done with Sodium chloride (common salt hygroscopic particles) leading to the growth of water droplets by condensation and then by collision and coalescence as they are carried up and down within the clouds by the Langmuir chain reaction mechanism. The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune launched a warm cloud seeding experiment using air craft in the semi-arid region towards East of Pune on the leeward side of the Western ghats from 1973 to 1986. A randomized double area cross-over design with a buffer zone was used for the aerial seeding work. The experimental area covering 4800 sq. km. was divided into 3 parts designated as North, Buffer and South sectors in Ahmadnagar, Baremati area (Hindu dated 18-1-1988). The results of experiments on aerial seeding of warm clouds with common-salt and soap stone powder for the eleven years are presented below:

Table - 1: ESTIMATES OF SEEDING (AERIAL SEEDING DAYS)

*Year*	*CUMULATIVE RESULTS*
*Year*	*No. of days of the experiment*	*Root Double Ratio*	*Percentage change in rainfall*
*1973*	16	*1.119*	*+11.9*
*1974*	28	*1.157*	*+15.7*
*1976*	52	*1.169*	*+16.9*
*1979*	62	*1.219*	*+21.9*
*1980*	78	*1.235*	*+23.5*
*1981*	98	*1.227*	*+22.7*
*1982*	*112*	*1.235*	*+23.5*
*1983*	*122*	*1.233*	*+23.3*
*1984*	*132*	*1.279*	*+27.9*
*1985*	*142*	*1.235*	*+23.5*
*1986*	*160*	*1.239*	+23.9^*

*significant at 4% level (Mann-Whitney test)

The results clearly demonstrate that warm cloud seeding has enhanced the rain-fall about 24% on the basis of experiments conducted for 160 days during the eleven summer monsoon seasons.

The physical changes that occurred in the clouds due to seeding with common salt were also recorded with scientific instruments fitted to air-craft for more than 100 pairs of seeded (target) and not-seeded (control) clouds to provide scientific evidence a positive proof for the efficiency of cloud technique. The physical changes in the seeded clouds are presented in the following table.

Table - 2: CLOUD PHYSICAL RESPONSES TO SALT SEEDING

MICROPHYSICAL RESPONSES

PARAMETER RESPONSE

CLOUD DROPLET SPECTRA BROADENING (300%)

MEAN VOLUME DIAMETER INCREASE (40%)

LIQUID WATER CONTENT (COMPUTED) INCREASE (60%)

LIQUID WATER CONTENT (MEAUSRED) INCREASE (200%)

CONCNETRATION OF LARGE SIZE INCREASE (125%)

CLOUD DROPS (DIAMETER 50 um)

CONCENTRTION OF GIANT SIZE INCREASE (145%)

CONDENSATION NUCLEI

(SALT PARTICLES)

DYNAM ICAL RESPONSES

VERTICAL AIR VELOCITY INCREASE (200-300%)

TEMPERATURE WITHIN CLOUD INCREASE (1-2^OC)

ELECTRICAL RESPONSES

ELECTRIC FIELD INTESTIFICATION (200%) FOLLOWED

BY SIGN REVERSAL FROM THE

INITIAL NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE

FOLLOWING ONSET OF RAIN

ELECTRIC CHARGE CARRIED SIGN REVERSAL FROM THE INITIAL

BY CLOUD/RAIN DROPS NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE FOLLOWING

ONSET OF RAIN

CORONA DISCHARGE CURRENT INCREASE (400%)

CRIDE AND SODIUM ION CONCENTRATIONS

IN CLOUD AND RAIN WATER SAMPLES

CLOUD COVER

CHLORIDE . . INCREASE 140%

SODIUM . . INCREASE 110%

RAIN WATER

CHLORIDE . . INCREASE 156%

SODIUM . . INCREASE 165%

The above changes in the micro-physical, dynamical, Electrical characteristics of clouds before seeding and after-seeding along with changes in the concentrations of chlorides and sodium ions in the cloud water and the rain water amply prove that warm-seeding of clouds was mainly responsible for increasing the rainfall by about 24%.

COST BENEFIT RATIO FOR WARM CLOUD SEEDING COST BENEFIT RATIO

The cost-benefit Ratio for the warm cloud seeding experiment based upon the data collected by the Institute at Pune for the increase in precipitation of about 20% works out as follows:

i) Total cost of the experiment during the past Rs.58.0 lakhs

11 monsoon seasons (Aircraft changes and cost

of seeding material)

ii) Expenditure incurred during 1986 Rs. 8.0 lakhs

iii)Cost benefit ratio for a 20% increase in rainfall due to

seeding.

Average rainfall in the experimental area during monsoon – 346 mm

Volume of water produced by artificial rain during one monsoon season

Target x Rainfall increase = (16000 x (1000)² x 346 x 20)/( 1000 x 100)

= 110720 x 10³ m³

Cost of producing 1 m3 (1000 liters) of water = (Cost of the experiment )/( Volume of the water produced by artificial rain)

= less than 1 paise per 1000 litres of water

Minimum cost of water supplied by Municipal /state

Government authorities = 60 paise per 1000 litres

Cost benefit ratio of artificial rain = 1 : 60

EXPERIMENTS ON COLD-CLOUD SEEDING:

The cold clouds contain both super cooled water droplets and ice-crystals. Just as there are cloud condensation nuclei in warm-clouds in the form of dust, smokes, salt crystals and other materials, cold clouds contain ice nuclei on which cloud droplets freeze or ice-crystals form directly from water vapour the ice-crystals grow rapidly drawing moisture from the surrounding super cooled cloud droplets due to the difference in saturation vapour pressure over the super-cooled water droplets and the ice-crystals by what is knows is Bergeron Findersen mechanism. When the ice-crystals grow to a few millimeter in size they fall to the ground under the influence of gravity as rain. The National Academy of Sciences of USA apparently regarded 10% to 20% precipitation increases due to weather modification as modest once. Various experimental programs concluded that ice-nuclei seeding of cold clouds have increase precipitation at the ground. A project in Switzerland and another in Israel gave positive results. The first Israeli experiments (1961-1967) indicated an increase by 15% in rainfall through seeding of cold-clouds with silver iodide in the target area as a whole with the interior sub-continent recording an increase of 22%.

The second Israeli experiment of 6 rainfall seasons (1969-1975) proved that rain-fall can be increased upto 27%

The results of these experiments show that Israel’s water supply could be increased by about 25% and that too at about 1/30 to 1/60 of the next cheapest method for developing new water sources.

Unfortunately no worthwhile research and development work has been done in India on cold-cloud seeding and hence, there is an urgent need to undertake scientific investigations at the National and state levels. For this purpose, a long-term programme of action for cold cloud seeding experiments must be taken up with the assistance of the Central Government, the Universities and other concerned agencies.

III. PROGRAM OF ACTION ON ARTIFICIAL RAINS

The program of action is divided into two parts, namely, the short-terms program on warm cloud seeding for a period of one year (1988-89) and the long-term program on cold cloud seeding for duration of 5 years (1988-89 to 1993-94).

(i) Short-term program: (1988-89): The short term program on warm cloud seeding experiments envisages that all the required equipment and the technical personnel will be provided by the Indian Weather Modification Organization at Pune. The necessary funds of Rs.25 lakhs will be provided by the state Government (WALAMTARI) or other Government departments like Energy, Environment, Science & Technology or Andhra Pradesh Council on Science and Technology . These proposals were discussed with the concerned officers of the Weather Modification Organisation at Pune and the WALAMTARI at Hyderabad. It is desirable that the Government should initiate immediate action on this proposal.

(ii) Long-term program (1988-89 to 1992-93): The long term program on cold cloud seeding experiments contemplates original research and development work by establishing Experimental Research Station at Hyderabad. (Himayat Sagar Dam) The station is to be headed by the project Director and manned by other scientists and technologists. The Director will be a senior scientist with adequate experience in methods of weather modification and organization of field experiments. The other staff, equipment and financial requirements for the program are presented in the Appendixes.

A P P E N D I X – I

Infrastructure details of Scientific and administrative personnel

1. Project Director 1

2.^*Seeding Group

Assistant Director 1

Senior Scientific Officer Gr.I 1

Senior Scientific Officer Gr.II 1

Junior Scientific Officer 1

Senior Scientific Assistant 2

---------------

Total 6

----------------

*Responsible for taking decisions regarding the seeding flights based on the results of the cloud model runs, weather conditions, conduct of the seeding operations and other organizational duties.

3.*Cloud Physics Group

Assistant Director 1

Senior Scientific Officer Gr.I 1

Senior Scientific Officer Gr.II 1

Junior Scientific Officer 1

Senior Scientific Assistant 1

---------------

Total 5

----------------

*Responsible for cloud physics studies and physical testing of the seeding hypotheses.

4. *Radar Group

Assistant Director 1

Senior Scientific Officer Gr.I 1

Senior Technical Officer Gr.I 1

Junior Scientific Officer 1

Junior Technical Officer 1

Senior Scientific Assistant 1

Senior Technical Assistant 1

---------------

Total 7

----------------

*Responsible for radar study of convective rainfall and radar evaluation of the experiment.

5. ^*Statistical Group

Senior Scientific Officer Gr.I 1

Junior Scientific Officer 1

Senior Scientific Assistant 1

----------------

Total 3

-----------------

*Responsible for pilot studies during Phase-I and development of suitable evaluation techniques and statistical analysis of rainfall.

6.^* Modelling Group

Assistant Director 1

Senior Scientific Officer Gr.II 1

Junior Scientific Officer 1

Senior Scientific Assistant 1

----------------

Total 4

-----------------

*Responsible for the development of cumulus models and updating them from time to time using the cloud micro physical data for making the model results more realistic. Also, this group handles the daily computations of the seedabilities based on daily radiosonde data in coordination with the seeding group.

7.^* Aircraft Instrumenttion Group

Senior Technical Officer Gr.I 1

(Electronic Engineer)

JuniorTechnical Officer 1

Senior Technical Assistant 2

----------------

Total 4

-----------------

*This group holds the key for the success of the experiment, the main responsibilities of the group are:

(i) design and development of new instruments

(ii) Servicing of Radars, Laboratory and field instrumentations etc.

The personnel of the group should have sound knowledge of the latest solid state instrumentation. Also, the senior engineers should be able to fly in turbulent weather conditions in the seeder aircraft. The Instruments fitter to the aircraft often time require checks and minor repairs because of their operations in turbulent conditions. Up-keep of the cloud physics instrumentation is essential during all the flights for the microphysical data collection at the appropriate time without losing any opportunity.

8.^* Maintenance Group:

Senior Technical Officer 1

Mechanic Grade-I 1

Mechanic Grade-II/Driver 1

Senior Draughtsman 1

Laboratory Attendant 1 ----------------

Total 5

-----------------

*For general technical and maintenance work

9.^* Administration

Senior Administrative Officer 1

Senior Accounts Officer 1

Stenographer Gr-I 2

Upper Division Clerk 2

----------------

Total 6

-----------------

*For Administration, accounts work.

Approximate cost estimate for 5 years period

Rs. In lakhs

1. Salaries (41 posts) 120.00

2. Equipment and Ground support 300.00

3. Cloud Physics Instruments 110.00

4. Maintenance of 100 rain gauges and cost of surface observations 25.00

5. Cost of 20000 silver iodide pyrotechnics and 2000 hours of 160.00

of aircraft flying time (3 aircraft)

6. Capital works 30.00

7. Miscellaneous items 5.00

-----------------

Total 750.00

-----------------

Rs.7.50 crores

Year wise break-up of Budget (Rs. in lakhs)

*Year*	*Equipment*	*Recurring*	*Capital works*	*Fellowship Foreign*	*Total*
*Ist year (1988-89)*	*5.00*	*10.00*	--	--	*15.00*
*IInd Year(1989-90)*	*200.00* *(F.E.150.00)*	*40.00*	*30.00*	*5.00* *(4 Fellowships)*	*275.00*
*IIIrd year (1990-91)*	*100.00* *(F.E.75.00)*	*70.00*	--	--	*170.00*
*IV Year(1991-92)*	*100.00* *(F.E. 15.00)*	*80.00*	--	--	*180.00*
*V Year (1992-93)*	*30.00* *(F.E. 15.00)*	*80.00*	--	--	*110.00*
	*435.00*	*280.00*	*30.00*	*5.00*	*750.00*

Total Rs.7.50 crores

F.E. Rs. 2.55 crores

A P P E N D I X – II

EQUIPMENT –GROUND SUPPORT

Rs. in lakhs

1.	*10 cm radar with quantitative rainfall measurement capability (DVIP)*	*One*	*50.00*
2.	*Mobile C-band radar with accessories*	*One*	*70.00*
3.	*Aerosol measuring equipment consisting of CCN, Aitken and ice nucleus counters*	*Two each total 6*	*10.00*
4.	*Mobile radiosonde stations*	*Two*	*5.00*
5.	*Mobile pilot balloon stations*	*Two*	*2.00*
6.	*Self recording raingauges*	*100 gauges*	*10.00*
7.	*Time lapse cameras for cloud photography*	*Two*	*6.00*
8.	*Walkie Talkie set*	*Five*	*2.00*
9.	*Xerox, photography and drafting equipment*		*5.00*
*10.*	*Mobile meteorological observatories for field work*	*Four*	*10.00*
*11.*	*Micrometeorological field station*		*10.00*
	*Total*		*Rs.300.00lakhs*

A P P E N D I X – III

Instruments for measurement of cloud physical parameters

1.	*Total water content probe*	*One*	*5.00*
2.	*JW hot wire meter*	*Two*	*1.00*
3.	*Airborne hydrometer sampler*	*Two*	*2.00*
4.	*Continuous Formvar replicator*	*Two*	*10.00*
5.	*Mee Ice particle counter*	*Two*	*4.00*
6.	*Aircraft dew point sensor*	*Two*	*2.00*
7.	*Temperature probe*	*Four*	*2.00*
8.	*CCN counter*	*Two*	*2.00*
9.	*Ice nucleus counter*	*One*	*2.00*
*10.*	*Time Lapse Camera System*	*Three*	*6.00*
*11.*	*Knollenberg cloud and rain drop 20 spectrometer*	*One*	*10.00*
*12.*	*Aitken nucleus counter*	*Two*	*2.00*
*13.*	*Rain Water scoop, air samplers*	*Six*	*2.00*
*14.*	*Data logger system for the aircraft*	*Two*	*10.00*
*15.*	*Multi-channel strip chart recorders*	*Five*	*8.00*
*16.*	*Inertial navigation system*	*One*	*20.00*
*17.*	*Turbogenerator for aircraft*	*One*	*5.00*
*18.*	*Multi-channel strip chart recorders*	*Five*	*8.00*
*19.*	*Densitometer*	*Two*	*10.00*
	*Total Rs.*		*110.00 lakhs*

A P P E N D I X – IV

Details of aircraft flying time and silver iodide pyrotechnics etc. for 5 years of experimentation

Cost Rs. in lakhs

1. ^*Cost of flying 2000 hours for 5 seasons (3 aircraft @Rs.10,000/- 100.00

per flying hour based on estimates in USA in 1975)

2. ^*Cost of 20000 NEW-TB-1 70 gm flares 50.00

3. ^* Flare racks of capacity 300 pyrotechnics delivery systems etc 10.00

-----------------

Total 260.00 ------------------

*The flying time and number of silver iodide flares required for one seasons experiment depends on the size of the experimental area and the number of seeding opportunities. Generally 10 to 20 flares are required for seeding one cloud. The output of the silver iodide flares for the dynamic cloud seeding experiment should not be less than 10¹³ nuclei per gram of silver iodide at –8^oC

Composition of TB-1 Flares Percent by weight

Material

Silver iodate (Ag10₃) 78.3

Magnesium (Mg) 5.2

Sluminium (Al) 10.2

Binder 5.8

Expected exhaust products of TB-1 flares:

Compound Percent ( per gm of mix^*)

Silver iodide (AgI) 64.9

Aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃) 20.4

Magnesium oxide (Mgo) 8.6

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) 18.2

Water (H₂O) 7.4

* Total exhaust products add up to more than 100 percent because some oxygen to burn the metal fuels is incorporated form the surrounding atmosphere.

REFERENCES:

1. Ramana Murthy, Bl.V. and K.R.Biswas, J.Meteor.Soc.Japan 46, 160-165(1986)

2. Kapoor et.al, Pune and Applied Geophysics, 114, 379-392 (1976)

3. Kapoor et.al, Proc.Int.Conf.on Cloud physics, Boulder, USA, 145-156 (1976)

4. Warner,J. Proc.W.M.O/AIMAP Scientific Conference on Weather Modification, Tashkent, 43-50 (1973)

5. Gagin et.al, Second Israeli Randomised cloud seeding Experiment J.App.Meteorology, Sept.1981

6. WoodleyW.L. et.al.,NOAA Tech.Report ERL-354,WMPO-6, 206 PP.

ANNEXURE-I

GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH

ABSTRACT

Water Resources Management – Artificial Rain – Formation of an Advisory Committee to take further action for implementation of the Report of the “Expert Committee on Artificial Rain and Aerial Seeding” – Orders – Issued.

ENERGY,FOREST, ENVIRONEMNT, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT

G.O.Ms.No.178 Date 9-6-1988

Read the following:- Report of the Expert Committee on Artificial Rains and Aerial Seeding, dt. 23-3-1988.

ORDER:

A seminar was held at Hyderabad on 19-3-1988 (organized by the Forest Development Corporation) under the Chairmanship of the Hon’ble Minister for Forests, so as to explore the possibility of obtaining artificial rain in the state. It was attended by eminent Meteorologist Padmabhushan P. Koteswaram, former Direction General of Meteorological Department, Government of India, Prof. T. Shivaji Rao, Eminent Environmentalists, Shri. J. Raja Rao, Former Chief Engineer, Irrigation &Ex-officio Secretary to Government, Dr. A. S. R. Murthy, who has experience of this work at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, PUNE and the Prl.Chief Conservator of Forests & Ex-officio Secretary to Government (Forest) Chief Engineer, Hyderabad Metro Water Works., etc.

2. The Seminar made a number of recommendations regarding the taking up of the seeding of clouds in A.P. on experimental basis and also to set up a committee for drawing up an Action Plan.

3. The proposal was also mooted at the world Forestry Day held on 21^st March, 1988 which was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister. It is desired that the proposal be examined and a report prepared regarding the feasibility of the project atleast on an experimental basis.

4. Accordingly, a committee of experts was formed and a report including the proceedings of the Seminar, the resolutions as well as sits recommendations has been prepared.

5. The report was presented by the Hon’ble Minister for Forests along with the members of the Expert Committee to the Hon’ble Chief Minister on 24-3-1988. While appreciating the efforts it is considered desirable that further action may be taken in regard to the recommendations.

6. As per the recommendations of the Committee WALAMTARI was recommended as Nodal Agency for implementing the Action Plan and to initiate further immediate action in this regard.

7. The Government hereby constitute Advisory Committee, to take further action for implementation of the report, consisting of the following:-

Shri. Gali Muddu Krishnam Naidu --- Chairman

Minister for Forests.

Prof. P. Koteswaram --- Member

Retired Director General

Indian Meteorology Department &

Ex. Vice President,

World Meteorology Organisation.

Prof. T. Shivaji Rao, --- Member

Prof. of Environmental Engineering,

Andhra University.

Shri. J. Raja Rao, --- Member

Retd. Commissioner of Project,

Formulation and Ex. Officio Secretary,

to Government Irrigation & CAD Dept.

Chief Engineer. --- Member

Hyderabad Metro Water Works.

Shri. Pushpakumar IFS., --- Member

Chief Conservator of Forests

Shri. T. Hanumantha Rao, --- Member

Chairman, Water & Land Management

Training and Research Institute.

8. The Government further order that the WALAMTARI (water and Land Management Training and Research Institute) shall be the Nodal Agency for implementation of this project.

9. While long term proposals contained in the report of the Experts Committee will be taken up by the EFES&T Department immediate action will be taken by the HMA&UD Department on the short-term programme proposed by the Committee regarding artificial rain experiment on a trial basis in the catchment areas of twin cities water-supply reservoirs. Viz., Osman Sagar, Himayatsagar and Mir Alam Tanks. The experimental work is already entrusted to WALAMTARI by the HMA&UD Department.

10. The non-official members are eligible for air fare to and fro whenever they perform journey in connection with the meetings of the Committee and for sitting fee of Rs.100/- for each sitting of the Committee. D.A. will not be allowed to non-official members on the days on which sitting fee is paid to them.

11. The expenditure on TA and sitting fee incurred in respect of the meetings of the Committee shall be met by the WALAMTARI initially pending reimbursement from the Government. The expenditure is debitable to the head of the Account No.”3425 other scientific research – 60 – Others 200 Assistance to other scientific Bodies – Schemes included in the plan S.H. (05) Assistance to Institutions for Scientific and Technological Research – 092 – other Grants –in aid” and will be borne by the Department within its budget. The Assistant Secretary to Government, EFES&T Department will draw and disburse the amount to the WALAMTARI whenever claim received from the WALAMTARI.

The order issues with the concurrence of Finance and Planning vide their U.O .No.032 A/268/T.A./88, dt.9-6-1988.

(BY ORDER AND IN THE NAME OF THE GOVERNOR OF ANDHRA PRADESH)

(Sd/-) V.P.RAMARAO,

PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT.

All the Members of the Committee.

Copy to:

Finance & Planning (TA) Department.

Finance & Planning (PW) Dept.

Pay&Accounts Officer. Hyderabad.

Accountant General, A.PHyd.

The Prl.Chief Conservator of Forests, Hyderabad.

Irrigation & CAD IV Dept. Hyderabad.

HMA&UD Department, Hyderabad (A.II)

All Departments, Secretariat, Hyderabad.

EFES&T (Claims)Department, Hyderabad.

Secretary to Chief Minister, Hyderabad.

P.S. to Minister Forest

P.S. to Minister (Municipal Admn) A.P.Hyderabad.

P.S. M&MI, Hyderabad

P.S. to Minister (Minor Irrigation) A.P.Hyderabad.

// FORWARDED: : BY ORDER //

(Sd/-) SECTION OFFICER

Conclusions

From the above actions taken by the Government, a good beginning can be made on cloud seeding experiments for augmentation of rain in Andhra Pradesh. The coastal areas containing Eastern Ghats will be more favorable for these experiments. The frequent occurrence of low-pressure areas, depressions etc. in the adjoining west central Bay of Bengal give necessary updraft. At these coastal areas the Precipitable water many times exceed 2 to 3 cm per unit area .The winds in post monsoon period are generally low which are highly favourable for these experiments. So, during these periods the seeding material in warm clouds can reach higher heights for substantial growth of bigger water drops by the process of coalescence and collision .For cold cloud seeding the Eastern Ghats provide favourable heights to immediately release silver iodide Vapour from ground based generators into the base of the growing cumulus clouds. On reaching the heights above the freezing layer, where abundant super cooled water droplets are available these seeding material forms as a nucleus so as to transform itself into ice crystal and fall back to the ground, augmenting the rainfall.

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