Cloud seeding exercise, funded by Karnataka Congress MLA, underway in Haveri

Attempting to assuage concerns of farmers staring at a severe drought in Karnataka’s Haveri district, Congress MLA Prakash K Koliwad on Monday launched a cloud seeding exercise that is entirely funded by him.

The cloud seeding will go on for the next two days, he said.

A flight took off from Hubballi airport and flew towards Haveri district where the exercise was conducted. It is expected that the drought-like situation could be abated if cloud seeding is done.

Talking to PTI, Koliwad said PKK Limited (a company) had carried out similar activities in various parts of Karnataka in the past as well. Koliwad was earlier a promoter of the firm.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, speaking in Bengaluru, said at least 134 taluks have been asked to submit a report to the state government within a week about ground truthing in view of the prevailing drought situation in several parts of the state.

Ground truthing is a process of comparing data collected through aerial sources like satellite imagery with that of physical measurements gathered at the ground level.