PUNE: The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) will
launch the third phase of its research project to check the
feasibility of cloud seeding in the rain shadow areas of
Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, in mid-July. During
the earlier phases, the IITM has gathered data on clouds and has
carried out observations. The third phase will help identify
rain-bearing clouds. The programme, titled Cloud-Aerosol
Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX),
will facilitate research work to check the types of clouds and
suitability of cloud seeding for the peninsular areas. The
programme was launched in 2009, but last year it could not take
place due to delay in tendering process and other legal issues.
The third phase of the project will focus on cloud seeding
assessment in the rain shadow regions. The programme will study
ingredients inside clouds that are responsible for rainfall. As
part of the experiment, a specially equipped airplane, carrying
scientists, did sorties to collec