Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Hon’ble Union Minister of State, Dr Jitendra Singh today jointly inaugurated the X-Band Doppler Weather Radar at Banihal Top, during the 148th Foundation Day celebrations of India Meteorological Department.
The event was attended by Sh Pushkar Singh Dhami, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttarakhand and Sh Sukhvinder Singh, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, virtually. On the occasion Doppler Weather Radar Systems for Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh were also inaugurated.
Addressing the event virtually, the Lt Governor congratulated the India Meteorological Department, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India for the Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) with a range of 100 kms, which will help in detection of severe weather events & safe conduct of various pilgrimages especially Shri Amarnathji Yatra.
IMD is playing a significant role in protecting life and livelihood of the people from adverse weather and is registering remarkable progress in making J&K disaster proof, said the Lt Governor.
The Lt Governor said, the system will go a long way in augmenting and helping the Agriculture & Allied Sectors and Tourism which are the mainstay of economy of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Lt Governor observed that the UT receives heavy snowfall in winter and heavy rain in summer which makes it vulnerable to various kinds of natural disasters like cloud bursts, lightning, landslide, flash flood, flood and avalanches.
Keeping in view the vulnerability due to various kinds of extreme weather especially in a changing climate scenario, and to provide better & improved weather services for timely forecasts, IMD had earlier installed two Doppler Weather Radars one each in Jammu & Srinagar.
The recent one installed at Banihal Top will facilitate tourists & tourism industry, safe navigation of air crafts and help to detect severe weather events especially thunderstorm, heavy shower, hailstorm, heavy snowfall etc, he said.
I hope the Radar will prove to be useful in mitigating weather disasters, if any, in future, the Lt Governor further added. The Lt Governor expressed gratitude to Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji for socio-economic development of J&K and safety & welfare of its people.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Scientists are doing remarkable work to enhance synergy between technology & common citizens, the Lt Governor added. As many as eight publications of the IMD were released and school children and best performing offices and officers of IMD were also felicitated to mark the occasion.
Sh Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Union Home Secretary; Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences; Dr. M. Mohapatra, DGM India Meteorological Department; Sh D S Pandiyan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Sh S.C. Bhan, Scientist-G, Chairman, Organizing Committee; scientists and senior officials were present, in person and through virtual mode.