The proposal to set up a Doppler Weather Radar in Jammu and Kashmir capital Srinagar which will also be immensely beneficial to Amarnath yatris during bad weather is at a 'fairly advanced stage', Meteorological Department said today.
Asked if DWR would cover a radius of the normally expected 400 km, Meteorological Department Director General of India L S Rathore said said it cannot be guaranteed in mountainous terrain and valleys.
"There are so many factors and technicalities involved. Coverage in such terrains cannot be specified accurately. May be, around 100-150 km radius in a place like Srinagar should be possible," he told PTI.
Stating that setting up DWRs is a long drawn out process, the IMD chief said such an exercise normally takes three to four years.
Earlier, speaking to reporters, Rathore said that under the 12th plan, IMD is pushing proposals to set up three DWRs each in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh besides the North Eastern States.
Doppler radars are already operational in Lucknow, Jaipur, Patiala and Delhi in north India.
Rathore, flanked by Y E A Raj, Deputy Director General of Meteorology, Regional Meteorological Center Chennai and S R Ramanan, Director, RMC told reporters that "the North East monsoon would be normal to near normal and a clearer picture will emerge after the first week of October."
Rathore, who was here for a meeting of top officials of IMD of southern states, also said IMD would provide weather forecast and farm advisory to farmers at block level.
In the 12th plan, 240 districts have been identified and these would get block level forecast. "This will be done in a phased manner in collaboration with Krishi Vigyan Kendras," he said.
