IMD to set up three Doppler Radars in Orissa

Bhubaneswar,Oct 29 (UNI)Indian Meteorology Department(IMD) will soon set up Doppler radars in Paradeep, Gopalpur and Sambalpur to detect and get information about cyclonic movement at the earliest.

Special Relief Commissioner Nikunj Kishore Sundar Ray today said this on the sidelines of a function organised to observe the Orissa Disaster Preparedness Day and National Day for Disaster Reduction, the day on which the state was hit by a super cyclone eight years back.

The theme of this year's function was 'preparedness for Earthquake and Tsunami disasters'.

Mr Ray said land had already been allotted for the setting up of a Doppler radar at Paradeep. The project, which would cost Rs 20 crore, would be completed before the onset of next cyclonic season.

In addition Orissa State Disaster Management Authority(OSDMA), in association with ISRO and IMD, would also set up solar powered Automoated Weather Stations(AWS) in all the district and block headquarters.

The AWS could record data on varieties of parameters like rainfall, temperature, wind direction, wind speed and air pressure, besides soil moisture to reduce impact of natural calamities like flood, rain and cyclone, he said.

Mr Ray said such a system was needed as the government, instead of taking short term measures like relief, would focus on importance of development of infrastructure to prevent and reduce the impact of calamities.

UNI