Lok Sabha Question No. 2968 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-03
Subject: Doppler Weather Radar
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB, SANJAY SHAMRAO DHOTRE, RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE, BALASUBRAMANIAM SENGUTTUVAN

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2968 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, August 3, 2016

## DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR

## 2968.   SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:

SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE:

SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE:

SHRI B. SENGUTTUVAN:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  the  Doppler  Weather  Radar  (DWR)  system  installed  the country,  location  and  state-wise,  along  with  the  funds  allocated  and spend thereon;
- (b) whether some of the DWR system installed in various parts of the country are not functioning for a long time and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government has conducted any enquiry into non-functioning of DWR system and if so, the details and outcome thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  install  more  DWR  system  in  the country including  in  Uttrakhand  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof,  locationwise;
- (e) whether  the  Earth  System  Science  Organisation-India  Meteorological Department has adquate skilled staff for maintenance of DWR system in the country; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the action taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES (SHRI Y. S. CHOWDARY)

- (a) The details of the Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) system installed in the country, location and state-wise is enclosed at Annexure-I. An expenditure of Rs 244 crores has been incurred for procurement of DWRs and spares.
- (b) At times radars remain non-functional due to failure of support systems/critical  spares/parts.  As  and  when  non-functionality  scenario develops,  the  said  24X7  severe  weather  surveillance  is  carried  out through  half-hourly  updates  of  geostationary  satellites  (like  INSAT-3D) and  other  polar  orbital  satellites  covering  India  and  its  neighborhood. Although, efforts are always made to ensure the uninterrupted functionality of various observing systems including DWRs over land and ocean,  systems  become  dysfunctional  at  times.  Prioritized  action  will always be launched so as to make the system functional with minimum break-downs to the extent possible.

Currently  only  one  Doppler  Weather  Radar  at  Delhi  (Palam)  is  under service for want of spare parts.

- (c) No Madam.
- (d) Mussoorie/Dehradun,  Uttarkashi  and  Nainital  are  identified  locations  in Uttarakhand  under  the  Integrated  Himalayan  Meteorology  during  the current  Five  Year  Plan.  Additional  DWRs  will  be  placed  in  a  phased manner  based  on  service  requirements  related  to  land  and  associated infrastructure in various parts of the country.
- (e)-(f)  With  an  in-house  inventory  of  spares,  despite  the  staff  crunch,  radars purchased  prior  to  2006  are  maintained  by  technical  staff  of  India Meteorological  Department  (IMD).  The  annual  maintenance  contract  is awarded for the maintenance of the radars procured after 2010.

## Annexure-I

| S.No.                            | Name of Station                  | Commissioned   | Radar status                     |
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------|----------------------------------|
| 1 Chennai (Tamil Nadu)           | 1 Chennai (Tamil Nadu)           | 22.02.2002     | Installed & functional           |
| 2 Kolkata (West Bengal)          | 2 Kolkata (West Bengal)          | 29.01.2003     | Installed & functional           |
| 3 Machilipatnam                  | (Andhra                          | 08.12.2004     | Installed & functional           |
| 4 Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) | 4 Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) | 27.07.2006     | Installed & functional           |
| 5 Delhi (Palam) (Delhi)          | 5 Delhi (Palam) (Delhi)          | 22.04.2010     | Under service for want of spares |
| 6 Hyderabad Pradesh)             | (Andhra                          | 16.07.2010     | Installed & functional           |
| 7 Nagpur (Maharashtra)           | 7 Nagpur (Maharashtra)           | 28.02.2011     | Installed & functional           |
| 8 Agartala (Tripura)             | 8 Agartala (Tripura)             | 13.03.2011     | Installed & functional           |
| 9 Patna (Bihar)                  | 9 Patna (Bihar)                  | 27.05.2011     | Installed & functional           |
| 10 Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh)       | 10 Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh)       | 16.08.2011     | Installed & functional           |
| 11 Patiala (Punjab)              | 11 Patiala (Punjab)              | 13.10.2011     | Installed & functional           |
| 12 Mohanbari (Assam)             | 12 Mohanbari (Assam)             | 02.06.2012     | Installed & functional           |
| 13 Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh)       | 13 Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh)       | 06.11.2013     | Installed & functional           |
| 14 Paradip (Odisha)              | 14 Paradip (Odisha)              | 19.11.2015     | Installed & functional           |
| 15 Karaikal (Tamil Nadu)         | 15 Karaikal (Tamil Nadu)         | 29-10-2015     | Installed & functional           |
| 16 Goa (Goa)                     | 16 Goa (Goa)                     | -              | Under Installation               |
| 17 Mumbai (Maharashtra)          | 17 Mumbai (Maharashtra)          | 25.08.2015     | Installed & functional           |
| 18 Bhuj (Gujarat)                | 18 Bhuj (Gujarat)                | -              | Under Installation               |
| 19 (Mausam Bhawan (Delhi)        | 19 (Mausam Bhawan (Delhi)        | 19.12.2011     | Installed & functional           |
| 20 Jaipur (Rajasthan)            | 20 Jaipur (Rajasthan)            | 28.01.2012     | Installed & functional           |
| 21 Srinagar (J&K)                | 21 Srinagar (J&K)                | 01-05-2015     | Installed & functional           |
| 22 Gopalpur (Orissa)             | 22 Gopalpur (Orissa)             | -              | Under Installation               |
| 23 Kochi (Kerala)                | 23 Kochi (Kerala)                | -              | Under installation               |
| 24 Cherrapunji (Meghalaya)       | 24 Cherrapunji (Meghalaya)       | -              | Under installation               |
| 25 Sriharikota                   | (Andhra                          | -              | Under upgradation                |