One of Bihar’s oldest Met observatory awaits land for upgradation
The proposal to develop the Purnia meteorological observatory, one of the oldest observatories in Bihar, into a zonal instrument maintenance centre (ZIMC) has been pending for the last five years due to the lack of required land needed for up-gradation, officials aware of the development said.
PURNIA: The proposal to develop the Purnia meteorological observatory, one of the oldest observatories in Bihar, into a zonal instrument maintenance centre (ZIMC) has been pending for the last five years due to the lack of required land needed for up-gradation, officials aware of the development said.
“The matter relating to the transfer of land to the lone observatory in Purnia and Kosi is in limbo. The small dingy room in which the observatory is working is about 150-years-old. The observatory needs 15,000 square feet land for up-gradation,” said SK Suman, a senior meteorologist.
According to Suman, though the process of land transfer is almost complete, unlike other states, the Bihar government is demanding a hefty amount for the transfer of the required land to the observatory. “Bihar government’s land revenue department has demanded ₹1.34 crore against the transfer of land,” he said, citing West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and several other states where the governments provide land to such observatories free of cost.
The Purina meteorological observatory was established by the British in 1874 and since then it has been functioning, but without any up-gradation, it has failed to predict weather conditions with more precision.
“We are forecasting weather conditions with the help of thermometer, barometer, anemometer, and rain gauge,” said Suman while stressing the need to install a Doppler weather radar capable of detecting the motion of rain droplets in addition to the intensity of the precipitation.
“These data can be analysed to determine the structure of storms and their potential to cause severe weather changes in advance. Today weather forecasts are mostly ambiguous and they don’t provide localized information. Upgraded and localized information will benefit the farming community,” he said.
Bihar deputy chief minister Tar Kishore Prasad, who recently met the Union minister of state (Earth Sciences Department) Jitendra Singh said, “The minister has agreed to upgrade and install Doppler weather radar at Purnia observatory and very soon the work will begin.”
He said that the observatory would be developed into a ZIMC to facilitate repair work of instruments not only in Bihar but also in West Bengal. He however remained mum over the problem coming in the way of land transfer to this observatory.
The meteorological centre Patna and its sub-offices at Gaya, Purnia, Bhagalpur, and Valmiki Nagar provide public weather services for the state. In addition to this, it caters to the special requirements of Central and state disaster management authorities, flood monitoring management agencies, public health agencies, agriculture, and the power sector.