A long-awaited Doppler weather radar (DWR) commenced operations in Kainsir, Sambalpur, on Wednesday, with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi officially inaugurating the locally manufactured facility.
This advanced equipment, developed under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, aims to provide real-time weather information and enhance predictions regarding thunderstorms, lightning, hailstorms, heavy rainfall, and other extreme weather phenomena.
Majhi remarked, “The Doppler weather radar at Sambalpur holds significant regional importance. It will integrate a vast area of Odisha into the weather forecasting system and bolster our ability to predict and manage natural disasters effectively.”
He highlighted that the Sambalpur radar is the third of its kind in Odisha, following installations in Paradip and Gopalpur.
The radar operates continuously, offering accurate readings over a 250 km radius, enabling meteorologists to track weather systems as far as 450 km away.
Thirteen districts are expected to benefit significantly from this new coverage: Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Deogarh, Sonepur, Balangir, Boudh, Nuapada, Angul, Kalahandi, Keonjhar, and Dhenkanal. Additionally, parts of neighboring Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand will also be included in its range.
Union Minister for Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh participated in the inauguration via video link, while Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari was present at the event.
