Uncertainty continued to prevail over installation of Doppler radar at Paradip after Chinese-made system was reportedly rejected for security concerns.
“We have not received any communique from our headquarters about installation of radar at Paradip. No official instruction about replacement to Chinese-made radar, which is now with us, has reached,” said Sarat Ch. Sahu, Director of Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre, here on Friday.
IMD sources said 55 Doppler radars were to be installed across the country in order to predict atmospheric systems. Four Doppler radars would be installed in the State at Paradip, Gopalpur and Balasore – all coastal locations and Sambalpur – an interior site.
“Building infrastructure is ready at Paradip while work has been initiated at three other locations in the State. We have received only Chinese-made system for Paradip. The system would be moved to Sambalpur since there had been no green signal on its installation at any coastal site,” Mr. Sahu said.
He said the analogue radar installed at the Paradip weather station for the weather forecast had gone defunct forcing the Bhubaneswar met centre to rely on Vishakhapatnam and Kolkata radar. Sources informed that Chinese-made Doppler radars had been installed in interior locations such as Delhi, Bhopal, Patna and Agartala.
Upon installation of Doppler radar, real time data about atmospheric systems such as cyclone, wind, rain and thunder storm could be generated.
