Modern Met radar to cost Rs14 bn

ISLAMABAD: A top meteorologist on Sunday said a total of Rs14 billion is needed to purchase 18 modern doppler radars that can enable Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) to predict the speed and intensity of windstorms because the existing radar system is twenty years’ old and considered as outdated technology in the modern era.

Talking to The News, PMD director general Dr Ghulam Rasool said they are currently using old radar technology that provides no help to predict the intensity of any windstorm or thunderstorm but to some extent gives vital clues about the upcoming weather conditions.

The office of the prime minister sought explanation from PMD after a massive windstorm on 1st June that claimed lives of some 34 people including five in the twin cities because the allegations were leveled by various quarters that PMD failed to provide required information about the windstorm to the local and provincial administration across the country.

The notice issued by the office of the Prime Minister stated: “Dust / thunderstorm which hit parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and the Islamabad Capital Territory late in the evening on 1st June, 2016 had started gathering in the sky around mid-afternoon.”

“This was clearly visible even to the naked eye in Islamabad at around 4:00 P.M. And yet the Meteorological Department of Pakistan, despite modern equipment and technology available to it, failed to either forecast, or to issue adequate warning, regarding the impending storm, which resulted in the loss of so many precious lives, injuries and damage to property and installations.”

The PMD director general said they submitted a report to the office of the prime minister about the windstorm in which they maintained that the best possible information available on the existing system was provided to the public and the concerned authorities.

“We need twenty modern doppler radars in Pakistan that can enable us to predict the intensity of the windstorm but at the moment only two of these kind of radars are being installed by the Japan government in Karachi and Islamabad. Now the funds for remaining eighteen radars are required about which we have informed the government in our report,” he said.

To a question, he said there are only three radars in Lahore, Sialkot and Mangla that help them to keep vigil over the monsoon rains, adding “The clouds and weather system come from India during the monsoon season but, unfortunately, India often hesitates to share the data about it with Pakistan.”

To another question, he said they submitted the report about June 1 windstorm to the office of the prime minister on Friday after which it was highlighted in media that it termed the report unsatisfactory.

“If the federal government directs us then we will prepare another detailed report about the June 1 windstorm. But it can be seen in the current scenario that this is not the issue of performance but the lack of modern technology due to various reasons,” he said.

Replying to another question, he said they stated in their prediction issued on May 30 that ‘gusty winds’ are expected in scattered areas including Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Peshawar but it was not possible to provide the intensity of the windstorm.