BMC to begin cloud seeding in May

Fearing a deficient monsoon even this year the civic body has decided to begin the cloud seeding experiments in May.

Fearing a deficient monsoon even this year the civic body has decided to begin the cloud seeding experiments in May.

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According to civic officials the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) wants to tap all the pre-monsoon clouds so that even if the rainfall is scanty they can tide over the water crisis in 2010.

Cloud seeding is the process of spraying either dry ice (or more commonly silver iodide aerosols) into the upper part of clouds with the help of an aircraft to try to stimulate the precipitation process and form rain.

“The same agency, Agni aviation, who conducted cloud seeding experiments in August, 2009 has been asked to do it in May,” said a civic official requesting anonymity.

He also added that these experiments would be concentrated on Bhatsa and Modak Sagar as these two lakes have the biggest catchment areas.

Cloud seeding experiments to augment rainfall were also conducted from August to October 2009 but it didn’t yield significant results. The BMC had spent Rs 8 crore on it.

“We are trying to do all that we can to tap the moisture laden clouds,” added the official.

Apart from cloud seeding experiment, the civic body is also cleaning and digging up new wells to tackle the water problem. It is also readying sewage treatment plants at Versova and Ghatkopar so that treated water can be used for non-potable purpose.