DoS admits to failure in cyclone warning

NEW DELHI, APRIL 25. The Department of Space (DoS) has said it is reviewing its disaster management system in view of its continuous failure to alert people about possible catastrophes, and is planning to install advanced cyclone warning systems.

The DoS Secretary, Mr. K. Kasturirangan, informed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology that the Department, in cooperation with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), planned to install new-generation receivers or Cyclone Warning Dissemination Systems (CWDSS) with satellite- based global positioning systems (GPS) to track early movement of cyclones.

In a report tabled in Parliament on Monday, the panel said it was constrained to observe that CWDSS had not yet perfected prediction of the details of an impending cyclone. The recent devastating cyclone in Orissa can be seen as an example, besides past experiences, the Committee, chaired by Mr. C. Ramachandraiah, said, adding there was an urgent need to perfect the system.

The need to improve weather forecasting was again stressed by the Committee while reviewing the Department of Science and Technology's (DST) performance. Observing that not much attention had been paid to improve weather forecasts and ensure a higher degree of precision, it asked the DST to perfect its weather forecasting system according to world standards and ensure that ``our forecasts do not go awry''.The DoS secretary, however, pointed out that the Department was assisting relief agencies by providing them satellite maps indicating degree of damage. For flood management, it was embarking on geographical information system to provide data, working with the Brahmaputra Flood Control Mission and creating geographical maps in Assam to identify flood-prone areas.

The Committee also asked the Government to clear the fog on direct to home (DTH) television broadcasting at the earliest.

- PTI

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : National
Previous : Guillotine on May 2 on demands for grants
Next     : Deal benevolently with situation, Sonia urges PM