(a) whether the Government is aware of the abnormal weather pattern in the country over the years;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
(c) whether any action plan has been chalked out to tackle the adverse impact of abnormal weather
conditions; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF THE STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY,
MINISTRY OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES, MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE
MINISTRY OF PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE, MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL,
PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI PRITHVIRAJ CHAVAN)
(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.279 FOR ANSWER ON 22nd JULY, 2009
(a)-(b) Yes Madam. The Government is monitoring the variability of the weather phenomena and development of abnormal weather
pattern like drought, flood, flash flood, cyclone, rain induced landslides, heat cold wave, etc. on a continuous basis.
Records of past weather events show that extreme values in respect of heavy rainfall, maximum and minimum temperatures,
seasonal rainfall etc. remained unsurpassed in many cases.
Heavy rain events (>10 cm/day) over central India are increasing at about 1%/year while weak and moderate events are
decreasing at about the same rate over the past 50 years. The extreme rain events which are becoming more intense in
recent years are localised and could be part of the natural variability of the monsoon system. No such pattern is
discerned in respect of other weather phenomena.
(c) Yes Madam.
(d) India Meteorological Department (IMD) is enhancing its observational network under the modernization plan by installing
a network of Doppler Weather Radars (DWR), Automatic Weather Stations (AWS), Automatic Rain Gauge Stations (ARGS), etc. for
monitoring abnormal weather patterns and upgrading its forecasting capabilities., so that advance warning can be provided to
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Ministry of Home Affairs, and Ministry of Agriculture to tackle the impacts
of the adverse and extreme weather phenomena.