Mr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Science and Technology has inaugurated the indigenous doppler weather radar at at Palluruthy in West Kochi (Kerala).
The S-Band doppler weather radar in Kochi was made with support from ISRO and Bharat Electronics.
This radar is capable of predicting with increased accuracy weather events such as cyclone occurring in 500-km radius from Kochi.
A chain of 27 such advanced radars already installed in various parts of the country, and 25 more, in the Himalayan and northeast, are in the offing.
The whole country will have such advanced weather forecast and warning systems in the next two to three years.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had already extended weather forecast while it heralded several changes in the farming sector. As many as 22 million farmers in the country received weather-related information through SMS daily.
The Minister said a Rs.400-crore national monsoon mission was under way. A major step is being taken in earthquake prediction, with the IMD and the Department of Science working on systems to give earthquake forecast.
Sensors had been set up some 5 km underground at Koyna in Maharashtra where the government was setting up an earthquake forecast centre.