Maharashtra: First rocket to cause rain may be fired soon
In the next three to four days, Maharashtra is likely to see the first trial of a new technology to cause rain – by shooting rockets into the sky. A village in Nashik is being considered as the location for the trial.
In the next three to four days, Maharashtra is likely to see the first trial of a new technology to cause rain – by shooting rockets into the sky. A village in Nashik is being considered as the location for the trial.
This is part of the government’s hunt for a cost-effective and efficient technology to help the state deal with frequent droughts. If this technology succeeds, it will be cheaper than the traditional cloud seeing method, which uses an airplane to release chemicals that help precipitation in the clouds.
The rocket technology is being worked on by The International School of Professional studies, which claims to have previously tried the technology in Sindhudurg and Sangli districts. The disaster management unit director Suhas Divase on Tuesday authorised the institute to carry out the experiment at its own cost.
This year, the government has already allotted a cloud seeding tender to another company, which will do it through the traditional mode.
“The new technology reduces the launching cost to almost half of that of flying a plane into regions more than 100 kms away from an airport. In the new technology, we will use rockets that will fly 2-kilometers high and on combustion, release silver iodine, which will help cloud dissolve into rain,” said a spokesperson from the institute.