Jammu: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and 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 Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, and 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 the detection of severe weather events & safe conduct of various pilgrimages, especially Shri Amarnathji Yatra.
IMD is playing a significant role in protecting the 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 that the system will go a long way in augmenting and helping the Agriculture & Allied Sectors and Tourism which are the mainstay of the 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 thunderstorms, heavy showers, hailstorms, heavy snowfall, etc, he said.
I hope the Radar will prove to be useful in mitigating weather disasters, if any, in the future, the Lt Governor further added.
The Lt Governor expressed gratitude to PM Narendra Modi ji for the socio-economic development of J&K and the 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.
Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Union Home Secretary; Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences; Dr. M. Mohapatra, DGM India Meteorological Department; D S Pandiyan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, S.C. Bhan, Scientist-G, Chairman, Organizing Committee; scientists and senior officials were present, in person and through virtual mode.
