The ongoing cloud seeding in the north Karnataka region yielded better results on the fifth day here on Thursday.
As the cloud formation was good, the aircraft, King Air C 90, flew twice for cloud seeding on Thursday. Buoyed by the successful cloud seeding on Thursday, the officials have decided to deploy one more aircraft to fly simultaneously in different directions. The additional aircraft landed here on Thursday evening.
According to the officials, the cloud formation is good in north Karnataka region. Therefore, starting on Friday two aircraft will fly in different directions to take full advantage of the cloud formation, they said.
On Thursday, cloud seeding was carried out in two rounds. In the first round, the aircraft took off at 1.05 p.m. and returned at 3.35 p.m. after flying for nearly two-and-a-half hours. It was for the first time that all 24 flares were fired in the sky as clouds favourable for seeding were found in good quantity.
The Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, which is conducting the exercise, invited presspersons to witness the process in person on Thursday.
During the first take-off, cloud seeding was done in Navalgund (six flares), Nargund (four flares), Ramdurg (eight flares), Annigeri (two flares), near Nargund, Shalavadi and Tadadal (eight flares).
In the second round, the aircraft took off at 4.40 p.m. and returned at 6.40 p.m. Cloud seeding was carried out by firing 10 flares at Haliyal (two), Savadatti (four), near Mudhol and Ramdurg (four). Cloud seeding on Thursday helped wet the dried landscape of the region. Hubballi-Dharwad city too received good rainfall, the officials said.
