NASHIK:
In addition to the existing 92 Automatic Rain Gauge Systems (ARGSs) — a weather instrument for measuring rainfall and monitoring rate of rainfall — in the district, the administration has proposed additional rain gauge systems in the district at strategic locations in order to assist, caution and alert the farmers in advance against potential agricultural losses arising out of natural fury.
In the district, currently there are altogether 92 rain gauge systems properly functioning to measure accurate rainfall and weather conditions. However, these systems are insufficient to address concerns of the farming community. Taking cue from this, district collector Suraj Mandhare has invited proposals from tehsildars who will have to decide on suitable locations in each of the revenue circles for installation of these additional systems.
Accordingly, the disaster management cell at the collectorate has sent letters to all the tehsildars inviting proposals for the installation of new rainfall gauge systems, informed officer Prashant Waghmare.
The new systems will help the administration immensely to prepare a reliable and authentic weather report to help the farmers to prevent future agricultural losses. These are specially designed units that will provide additional data of exact temperature and weather forecast and give updates regarding heavy rainfall. According to IMD officials, ARGS will help to keep tabs on the current updates of monsoon and check the amount of rainfall being received by any part of the city.
With this, the government will also have more accurate data to compensate the farmers. The weather conditions of prolonged, untimely and heavy rainfall which have caused to cross 100% rainfall mark and have wreaked havoc in the months of October and November too, have forced the district administration to add more rain gauge systems.
On this backdrop, the government had prepared certain guidelines — of which ‘record of rainfall’ is one of the key factors, to assist the distressed farmers. At present, there is one automatic system functioning in each of the revenue circles to predict rainfall.
