DWR will be operational soon, nothing to worry: Met Deptt
| Date :08-Apr-2020 |
Staff Reporter :
INDIAN Meteorological Department (IMD) has initiated the process to keep Nagpur’s Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) functional for accurate predictions of monsoons, cyclones and other weather-related phenomena. The DWR is currently non-functional due to some mechanical issue persisting since last few days. ‘The Hitavada’ reported on Monday “DWR may shut down to non-payment” raising concern about the future functioning of the radar due to lack of payment to the outsourcing company that keeps the power supply on and maintain the radar building.
Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Nagpur clarified their stand on the report stating that the department initiated the process to appoint new outsourcing company for its infrastructure maintenance. “Airport Authority of India (AAI) is responsible for DWRs electrical and infrastructure maintenance. They float tender to appoint new contract company and IMD have already raised the demand in this regard,” M L Sahu, Deputy Director General of Meteorology and Scientist told ‘The Hitavada’. “We did the excess payment of Rs 10 lakh to the outsourcing company for the maintenance and they were working on the basis of that payment till date.
The tender for new company is likely to float soon by AAI and after completion of that new team will take the charge of the maintenance,” Sahu added. Sahu also stated that IMD has no pending payment so far as it has already paid Rs 21 lakh to AAI. The process of tendering was delayed due to recently held State elections, he added. Currently the DWR is non-functional due to a mechanical issue which will be resolved after the lockdown.
The DWR was made in China and procured through SGS Weather and Environment Systems and uses American Technology. It can generate information of 1 km to 8 km height from earth surface in a radius of 500 km. DWRs are also useful in picking extreme weather systems and hence are very important in the present season.