Karnataka, AP now bicker over clouds

HYDERABAD: After the Paragodu water row, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh may take their fight to the skies.
The Karnataka government''s decision to go in for cloud-seeding is causing concern to officials and meteorologists in Andhra Pradesh as it could have a disastrous effect on the south-west monsoon in the droughtprone Rayalaseema districts.
Karnataka called for short-term global tenders for carrying out cloud-seeding operations over the catchment areas of its reservoirs.
AP officials are apprehensive that inducement of artificial rain in Karnataka could adversely affect rainfall across the border, especially in the drought-prone districts of Anantapur, Kurnool, Mahabubnagar and Kadapa.
A meteorologist, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Times of India that tampering with the natural course of the monsoon could dry up moisture in the clouds affecting areas downstream.
In its guidelines for the bids for cloud-seeding contracts, the Karnataka government has stated that "to benefit the larger area, cloudseeding operations have to be carried out simultaneously from Mysore and either Belguam or Hubli". Operations are to be carried out in the peak monsoon months of July-October.
Interestingly, the AP government had constituted an expert committee for the implementation of artificial rain and aerial seeding way back in 1988. Officials recall that experiments were carried out at least thrice to induce artificial rain in Rangareddy, Visakhapatnam and Anantapur districts but they had limited success.
A meteorologist said: "The exorbitant cost of the cloud-seeding process and the marginal success are major deterrents."
According to UN consultant Naram Krishna Rao, the next interstate and inter-district tussles are going to be over cloud-seeding, just like the river water disputes now.