New Delhi: Union Minister for Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh on Friday said the government is committed to make India Meteorological Department a world class organisation for better delivery of weather services to cater to global needs.
“India has taken a lead in Asian continent to provide Weather and Climate services to South Asian, South-East Asian and Middle East countries,” said the ministry, while addressing a gathering of scientists and officials to mark the 147th Foundation Day of India Meteorological Department here.
Singh said that severe weather forecasting being provided to many countries since 2016 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come a long way and proved handy to countries like Nepal and Bangladesh in fighting the severe climatic disasters.
Referring to ISRO’s SAARC Satellite, the Minister said that in the coming days, IMD will re-orient its weather and climate services in most modern ways to cater to global needs.
“The severe weather forecasting being provided to many countries since 2016 under Prime Minister Modi has come a long way and proved handy to countries like Nepal and Bangladesh in fighting severe climatic disasters,” the Minster said.
Referring to about 20-40 improvement in accuracy of severe weather warning by IMD in recent five years as compared to previous five years, Singh said the forecast of high temperature and heat wave condition well in advance resulted in significant reduction in the number of deaths due to heat wave in subsequent years.
He also called upon all the agencies for zero heat related mortality in coming years.
Singh said the scientific temper and outlook of the Prime Minister has proved a boon for upgrading the country’s weather forecasting and climate services, along with providing latest computing capabilities and infrastructure.
The Minister also virtually inaugurated a doppler radar each at Leh in Ladakh, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.
M Mohapatra, DG, IMD, said the flash floods and urban floods in the recent years have posed new threats to the society and IMD has initiated adequate measures like installing Doppler Weather Radars in hilly areas of Western Himalayas and major cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.
“IMD plans to put up such radars in other cities and NE states during the next five years. It has urban flood warning system for Chennai and Mumbai and flash flood guidance for 30,000 water sheds in the country,” he added.
