Hi-tech weather radar to come up on Durga Tekdi; Pimpri-Chinchwad residents to receive up-to-date weather details

Pimpri: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to exchange information about weather change, pollution management, prior intimation of natural disasters and their implications and measures to be implemented as a part of disaster management.

An X-Band Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) tower, which monitors changes in weather, will be set up on Durga Devi Tekdi in Nigdi. Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh and IMD Chief Scientist KS Hosalikar surveyed the land, where the DWR tower will be built.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Chandrakant Indalkar, Chief Security Officer Uday Jarande, Chief Disaster Management Officer Omprakash Bahiwal, Assistant Municipal Commissioner Umesh Dhakne, Garden Superintendent Yogesh Walunj, IMD Scientists Uday Shende, Dr Shijo Zakaria, Ashwin Raju DK and others were present. The PCMC has provided the land, where the IMD would set up the DWR.

Shekhar Singh said, “Climate change is taking place rapidly at the world level. This has given rise to an increasing number of natural and man-made disasters. The MoU signed between the PCMC and the IMD will be important for taking structural measures against climate change and its disastrous consequences and to exchange information about weather changes for sustainable development of the city.

“The IMD will provide weather forecasts for the city and will also give data indicating extreme weather conditions to take measures. This will help the civic body to take various steps and manage such situations.”

KS Hosalikar said, “the X-Band Doppler Weather Radars (DWR) is an ultra-modern indigenous radar system. It will monitor an area within the 100-km periphery. It will include the entire Pune district, along with Pimpri-Chinchwad, forts and their surrounding areas. We will get important data through its real-time weather disaster monitoring capacity to study excessive rainfall, storms, hailstorms, etc. We will provide the PCMC data, from time to time, on atmospheric aspects affecting Pimpri-Chinchwad.”