(a) whether the Government proposes to introduce facility to use artificial rains making technique in places hit by drought;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the areas identified for the purpose;
(c) the areas where this technique has been used so far; and
(d) the outcome of the said technique?
THE MINISTER FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND
MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES
(DR. HARSH VARDHAN)
(a-c) No Madam. The present scientific knowledge suggests artificial rain making techniques involving cloud seeding cannot be used as an alternate for bringing rain to rainfall deficit/drought areas. These techniques can only induce potential pre-existing clouds with adequate cloud development, to produce enhanced quantum of rain.
Under the Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX) program a research campaign has been initiated at Sholapur, Maharashtra in June2018 to understand the physics of precipitation enhancement in the rain shadow region of Western Ghats. As on today, 240 hours of Airborne campaign has been completed for physical and statistical evaluation and 83 randomized seeding cases have been collected. Data collected are under investigation. However, this experiment will continue for another year to collect more samples for statistical evaluation.
(d) This experiment will help in the formulation of protocols and a guidance document for cloud seeding for precipitation enhancement.