Mizoram Disaster Management and Rehabilitation (DM&R) Minister Prof. Lalnilawma virtually laid the foundation stone for the ‘X-Band Doppler Weather Radar’ during an event organised by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, in Aizawl on Tuesday.
Prof. Lalnilawma expressed his pleasure in participating in the event, stating that while Mizoram is a beautiful place, it is also highly prone to disasters, making weather forecasting equipment one of its most essential needs. He noted that in modern times, countries compete through information, and those with more data become more powerful. Consequently, this radar system will enable Mizoram to access more detailed weather forecasts (information), allowing for better preparedness and potentially saving many lives.
Speaking on the occasion, Udit Prakash Rai, Secretary of DM&R, emphasised that disaster prevention and response require cooperation across various agencies rather than being the responsibility of a single department. He also urged the IMD to provide accurate and clear weather reports.
This radar will be utilised for weather forecasting in the Northeast region and will be beneficial for disaster prevention, farmers, and air travellers.
The foundation-laying ceremony was attended by Dr. Kripan Ghosh, Head of the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) Guwahati, and Suheer Kumar Dwivedi, Director of IMD Mizoram. Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of Meteorology, IMD, also participated via video conferencing.
