Question : N OF WEATHER RADARS

(a) whether the four Doppler radars procured in 2010 to be installed in coastal regions for accurate weather data are still lying idle as they have not received security clearance from the Ministry of Defence;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Ministry of Defence had raised objections to these radars being placed in closer to defence land that it may have security implications and data or image could be transmitted to unauthorized entities in other countries;

(d) if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether any independent agencies have been engaged to evaluate the safety of these radars; and

(f) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES (SHRI S. JAIPAL REDDY)

(a) 3 of the 4 Doppler Weather Radars (DWR)s procured during 2009-2010 are only currently lying uninstalled as 4th DWR is currently under commissioning at Bhopal.

(b) 4-DWRs originally meant for Goa, Karaikal, Paradip and Mumbai could not be installed due to objection of the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Keeping the operational exigency and criticality of having DWR at Mumbai on priority then, commissioning of indigenous DWR that was meant for Kochi, had been taken up. Three Radars meant for Goa, Karaikal and Paradip are lying at respective locations in uninstalled condition.

(c) Yes madam.

(d) MoD had advised the India Meteorological Department (IMD), on 23rd April 2010, not to proceed with the installation of Weather radars at coastal area and inside any defence locations considering the security implications arising out of DWRs procured from China through global tendering process.

(e) Yes Madam.

(f) Based on the clearance given by MoD on 15th April 2013 with the fulfilment of certain pre- conditions for proceeding with the installation of DWRs at civilian locations of Goa, Paradip and Karaikal, security audit will have to be carried out by independent agencies suggested by MoD at the respective sites.