Consideration of Artificial Rainfall/ Cloud Seeding Programmes The Government is not considering artificial rainfall/cloud seeding programmes with the help of State Government and commercial firms after witnessing worst rainfall in June, 2014 in various parts of the country
As things stand today, artificial rain making techniques involving cloud seeding cannot be used for bringing rain clouds to rainfall deficit/drought areas. Such efforts can only induce potential preexisting clouds, already passing over a given place, to produce rain only if organized weather modification intervention becomes successful.
However Earth System Science Organisation – Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (ESSO-IITM) is putting its effort in understanding the rain formation in clouds through studying cloud microphysical characteristics through a research program Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX).
Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) is in touch with ESSO-IITM in preparation of RFP for hiring services for cloud seeding operations. Similarly Karnataka State Agriculture Officials have also consulted ESSO-IITM for planning a possible cloud seeding program.
This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology & Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh in reply to a a written question in the Rajya Sabha today.
As things stand today, artificial rain making techniques involving cloud seeding cannot be used for bringing rain clouds to rainfall deficit/drought areas. Such efforts can only induce potential preexisting clouds, already passing over a given place, to produce rain only if organized weather modification intervention becomes successful.
However Earth System Science Organisation – Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (ESSO-IITM) is putting its effort in understanding the rain formation in clouds through studying cloud microphysical characteristics through a research program Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX).
Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) is in touch with ESSO-IITM in preparation of RFP for hiring services for cloud seeding operations. Similarly Karnataka State Agriculture Officials have also consulted ESSO-IITM for planning a possible cloud seeding program.
This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology & Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh in reply to a a written question in the Rajya Sabha today.
******Conversion of Sea Water into Potable Water
The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Earth System Science Organization (ESSO) has indigenously designed, developed and demonstrated desalination plants for conversion of sea water into potable water based on Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) technology. The LTTD is a process under which the warm surface sea water is flash evaporated at low pressure and the vapour is condensed with cold deep sea water. This technology is efficient and found suitable for the Lakshadweep islands
Three LTTD plants have been successfully commissioned in the country, one each at Kavaratti, Minicoy, and Agatti islands of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. The capacity of each of these LTTD plants is 1 lakh liter of potable water per day.
Work has been initiated to set up a prototype LTTD plant with a capacity of generating 2 million litres of potable water per day (2 MLD) at the Tuticorin Thermal Power station, Tamil Nadu. The Lakshadweep Administration requested ESSO-NIOT for setting up similar plants in remaining six islands. ESSO-NIOT has sent a detailed project report to the Lakshadweep Administration in this regard.
The cost per liter of desalination would depend on the technology used and cost of electricity which varies from place to place. According to the cost estimates made by an independent agency for LTTD technology, the operational costs per litre of desalinated potable water is about 61 paise for island based plants. The plants set up at Lakshadweep were funded fully by the Central Government.
This was stated by Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences (Independent Charge) Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
*****
The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Earth System Science Organization (ESSO) has indigenously designed, developed and demonstrated desalination plants for conversion of sea water into potable water based on Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) technology. The LTTD is a process under which the warm surface sea water is flash evaporated at low pressure and the vapour is condensed with cold deep sea water. This technology is efficient and found suitable for the Lakshadweep islands
Three LTTD plants have been successfully commissioned in the country, one each at Kavaratti, Minicoy, and Agatti islands of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. The capacity of each of these LTTD plants is 1 lakh liter of potable water per day.
Work has been initiated to set up a prototype LTTD plant with a capacity of generating 2 million litres of potable water per day (2 MLD) at the Tuticorin Thermal Power station, Tamil Nadu. The Lakshadweep Administration requested ESSO-NIOT for setting up similar plants in remaining six islands. ESSO-NIOT has sent a detailed project report to the Lakshadweep Administration in this regard.
This was stated by Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences (Independent Charge) Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.