Lok Sabha Question No. 174 (STARRED), answered on 2016-03-09
Subject: Summer Forecast
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: ELUMALAI VELLAIGOUNDER, RAMESH POKHRIYAL NISHANK

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION No. *174 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 09, 2016

## SUMMER FORECAST

- *174.         SHRI V. ELUMALAI: DR. RAMESH POKHRIYAL "NISHANK":

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Indian Meteorological Department for the first time proposes  to  issue  a  summer  forecast  for  the  months  of  April, May and June;
- (b)
- if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether there is any mechanism in the Ministry for coordination with the other Ministries/Departments of the Union Government in the event of a natural calamity; and
- (d)
- if so, the details thereof and the other steps taken/being taken by the Government to forecast the natural calamities in future?

ANSWER MINISTER FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

- (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE LOK SABHA IN REPLY (a) to (d) TO STARRED QUESTION NO. *174 REGARDING 'SUMMER FORECAST' TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 09, 2016

- (a) Yes Madam.
- (b) Earth System Science Organisation-India Meteorological Department (ESSO-IMD) will come out, for the first time, with a summer advisory /  summer  temperature  outlook  this  year.  The  temperature  outlook valid  for  the  period  April  to  June,  2016  will  be  issued  by  end  of March.  In  addition,  an  extended  range  forecast  (up  to  15-days)  of summer temperatures with a 5-day update will be issued.
- (c) Yes  Madam.    Mechanism  is  in  place  for  coordination  with  various ministries  like  Agriculture,  Home  Affairs,  Power,  Railways,  Water Resources,  Surface  Transport,  Health,  Sports,  Tourism,  Coal  & Mines and others.

ESSO-IMD  and  ESSO-National  Centre  of  Seismology  (NCS)  has existing mechanism to coordinate with various state authorities. As such ESSO-IMD provide inputs to State Crop Weather Watch Group, State Disaster Management  Authorities, Relief Commissioners. During cyclones a coordination mechanism with district authorities has  also  been  established.  Round  the  clock  weather  surveillance and  forecasting  system  is  operational  at  ESSO-IMD  for  continuous monitoring,  detection  and  warning  of  Cyclones;  river  basin  scale meteorological  support  (monitoring  and  warning)  for  river  flood warning  system  and  other  severe  weather  systems.  Operational forewarning  systems  are  already  in  place  by  the  Central  Water Commission (CWC) of the Ministry of the Water Resources for river basin  scale  flood.  Fully  organized  protocol  exists  between  ESSOIMD,  CWC  and  with  the  various  designated  disaster  management authorities at centre and state levels for dissemination of weather forecast  warning  alerts.  Such  existing  dissemination  protocol  is always duly complied with.

- (d) ESSO-IMD is responsible for monitoring, detection and forecasting of weather including severe weather events such as cyclones, heavy rainfall,  extreme  temperature  etc.  It  provides  forecast  of  these events  at  national,  regional  and  state  levels  through  its  tree  tier structure.  In  order  to  provide  early  warning  of  severe  weather events,  ESSO-IMD  has  setup  a  network  of  state  meteorological centres to have better coordination with a state and other agencies. ESSO  -  NCS  is  monitoring  earthquake  activity  in  and  around  the county round the clock through its national seismological network. There is no proven scientific technique worldwide exists so far to predict/forecast  the  occurrence  of  earthquakes  with  reasonable degree of accuracy in space, time and magnitude.

In order to meet specific requirements of flood forecasting which is provided  by  the  CWC,  ESSO-IMD  operates  Flood  Meteorological Offices  (FMOs)  at  ten  locations  viz.,  Agra,  Ahmedabad,  Asansol, Bhubaneshwar,  Guwahati,  Hyderabad,  Jalpaiguri,  Lucknow,  New Delhi  and  Patna.  During  the  flood  season,  FMOs  provide  valuable meteorological  support  to  the  CWC  for  issuing  flood  warnings  in respect of the 43 rivers of India: i)Agra -Lower Yamuna and Betwa; ii)Ahmedabad  -Narmada,  Tapi,  Mahi,  Sabarmati,Banas  and  Deman Kangsabati; iv)Bhubaneshwar  -Mahanadi,  Brahmani,  Baiterini,  Bruhaba  -lang, Subernarekha, Rushkulya and Vansdhara; v)Guwahati -Brahmaputra Teesta;viii)Lucknow  -Ganga,  Ramganga,  Gomti,  Sai,  Rapti  Ghagra and  Samda;ix)New  Delhi  -Upper  Yamuna,  Lower  Yamuna,  Sahibi; x)Patna -Kosi, Mahananda, Baghmati, Kamla, Gandak, Buri Gandak,

Ganga; iii)Asansol -Ajay, Mayurakshi and and  Barak;  vi)Hyderabad  -  Godawari  and  Krishna;  vii)Jalpaiguri  North Koel,Kanhar, PunPun and Upper Sone. CWC is working in close association with IMD and State Governments  for  timely  flood  forecast  whenever  the  river  water level  rises  above  warning  level.  To  meet  the  requirement  of  State Governments,  ESSO-IMD  Officers  invariably  attend  all  the  meeting called by the State Governments for reviewing the preparedness on floods by various agencies.

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