Cloud seeding taken up in AP

Hyderabad, Sep 21 (UNI) After delay for more than a month, due to want of clearances from the Union Government, cloud seeding was taken up in ten districts today, where rains were deficient.

With the Civil Aviation and Union Home Ministries giving clearances, cloud seeding was taken up in Prakasham, Guntur, Nellore, Chittoor, Kadapa, Anantapur, Kurnool, Mahabubnagar, Ranga Reddy and Nalgonda districts.

The state government allotted Rs 15 crore for the programme this year. Two aircraft from Bangalore and Hyderabad were being used to seed the clouds to ensure rains.

Minister for Lift Irrigation Mareppa said, the programme would continue for the next three months as there would be water-bearing clouds.

The government proposed to take up cloud seeding on a permanent basis, he said.

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