Question : Automatic Weather Stations

(a) whether at least one fourth ombrometers and automatic weather stations, installed recently by the India Meteorological Department with a view to providing weather related data on hourly basis across the country, are not functioning as per their capacity;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether various appliances remain idle due to shortage of qualified personnel to repair them and if so, the details thereof and the action taken in this regard;
(d) whether many automatic weather stations are situated in hilly and other inaccessible areas and these are likely to get damaged if their maintenance is not done regularly; and
(e) if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AND MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES
(DR. HARSH VARDHAN)


(a)-(b) IMD had installed nearly 1050 ordinary rain-gauges in various departmental & non-departmental observatories for the rainfall measurement. The rainfall data from these manual observatories is available from all the 1050 stations. In addition, IMD had established network of 1350 Automatic rain-gauge Stations (ARG), which provides rainfall measurement on hourly basis.As on date 580 stations are working and the rectification of the defective units are going on.

IMD has also established Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) network of 125 stations in 2006-2007 and network of 550 stations in 2008-12.

Maintenance of these automated observing systems network is being carried out by trained manpower of Regional Meteorological Centres of IMD. Systems become non-functional due to natural disasters, lack of spares for old technology units, location in inaccessible areas of North East, Jammu &Kashmir etc. However, measures are taken regularly to overcome these issues, such as replacement of old technology network stations with state of the art new technology sensors and devices. As on date, more than 60% data is available on hourly basis from the automated network stations.

(c) Periodic training on maintenance & calibration of surface meteorological instruments has been imparted to the officials involved in maintenance of AWS & other observatory instruments.

(d)-(e) The maintenance of AWS in inaccessible & hilly areas is always a challenge. In order to have overall effective maintenance, special measures are being taken by IMD for establishing Zonal Instrument Maintenance Centres (ZIMC). It is proposed to establish minimum two such centres in one state. The financial powers are delegated & training will be imparted periodically to the officials posted at these centres. There will be 62 ZIMC to be functional shortly, for the country as a whole through which periodical maintenance of the AWS sites will be carried out.