Artificial Rainfall

A number of cloud seeding programmes have been carried out by commercial firms working under contract with a variety of sponsors both from the Government covering large areas as well as by Private Trusts at a local scale. The States of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh have undertaken cloud seeding operations till last year by hiring private firms and these operations were funded by the respective State Governments.

Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) Pune, is conducting a National multi-year program viz. “Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX)” during 2008-2012. It is proposed to carry out cloud seeding experiment for producing artificial rainfall during July-August 2010 in the research mode over the rain-shadow regions of peninsular India, consisting the parts of the States of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. However, there are no plans under this programme for conducting this over Mumbai area.

This was stated by Shri Prithviraj Chavan, Minister of State (I/C) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences in the Lok Sabha today.

GG/BS