Though the cloud seeding experiment began in the State on Monday, weather experts say it may not yield the best results as it has missed the “optimal season” of the southwest monsoon.
According to M.B. Raje Gowda, former head of the Agro Meteorology Department of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, the optimal season was from July to August 15, when the possibility of finding dense clouds, suited for seeding, from across the Arabian Sea was high.
Though different parts of the State are witnessing rains now, Prof. Gowda said this was only a temporary phenomenon and the best period was coming to an end. At the most, there will be clouds from southwest monsoon for the next 20 days, he said.
Ram Sagar, senior scientist at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, concurred. “Through the next month, there is a chance that moisture-bearing clouds will reduce. The 10-day head start would have seen much more of the window of favourable cloud formations that could have been exploited,” he said.
No help to Cauvery
The ongoing cloud seeding is unlikely to help increase inflow to reservoirs in the Cauvery basin or the hydel dams in Shivamogga region. This is because the formation of dense clouds in these areas now is unlikely, said Prof. Gowda.
Though cloud seeding will aid agricultural activities, many farmers in most parts of old Mysore region have already abandoned regular crops and have sown only short-duration varieties. The soil moisture due to the recent rains may well take care of these, he said.
At the same time, districts in north and middle Karnataka such as Yadgir, Raichur, Dharwad, Bagalkot, Davangere, Chitradurga, and parts of Hassan and Tumakuru, where agricultural operations have been severely affected by dry spells, may be helped. Efforts should be concentrated on these areas, he said.
Prof. Gowda also advised that cloud seeding be taken up during the northeast monsoon in October as there will be dense clouds from across the Bay of Bengal. However, even then the impact will be confined mostly to the eastern districts, he said.
