CM Yogi credits timely weather alerts for saving lives and assets
Lucknow, June 8: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that accurate and reliable weather information can not only prevent loss of life and property but also increase agricultural production. He said that the Meteorological Department is currently providing accurate and reliable information and this is benefiting the common people. The Uttar Pradesh government is ready to provide all possible assistance to further improve this through satellite.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was addressing a program organized in the auditorium of the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in the capital Lucknow on Monday to commemorate the conversion of the Lucknow Meteorological Center into a Regional Meteorological Center. He inaugurated it remotely.
On this occasion, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh, and the Director General of the Meteorological Department, along with several senior officials, were present.
Referring to the calculations and predictions of weather and climate in ancient times, Chief Minister Yogi said that Indian sages and philosophers used the almanac to make accurate calculations. Many folk sayings and traditions also provided accurate weather information. However, in this technological age, we require even better information. In the last 12 years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has made unprecedented progress in every field. Had this work been done since independence, farmers would have enjoyed better agricultural yields and the loss of life and property during natural disasters would have been less.
The Chief Minister said that the state government has installed rainfall assessment equipment from the district to the block level to help farmers assess crop damage. He praised the Meteorological Department for providing accurate and reliable data at a very fast pace. Referring to the recent flood in the Shakumbhari Devi temple complex, he said that everyone was rescued safely after the weather department issued an alert before the incident, while two women went towards the water despite being warned not to do so and died.
He said that previously, lightning strikes in areas like Sonbhadra and Mirzapur in the state used to cause 100 to 150 deaths, but now this number has dropped to less than a dozen. These incidents occur locally because people often fail to take precautions despite being aware of them. This damage occurs due to staying out in the open despite warnings and going out to look after animals. He said that the government is constantly working in collaboration with the NDRF, SDRF, and Meteorological Department. A satellite system providing accurate weather information in Uttar Pradesh alone could further reduce losses, and the state government is ready to cooperate with the Meteorological Department in every way.
Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State with Independent Charge for Power, said that previously, the regional office for the Meteorological Department for Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand was located in Delhi, but from today, the regional office has been established in Lucknow. This office will handle the work of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. He stated that in the last 12 years, the Meteorological Department has installed more radars and equipment than in the previous 65 years. He stated that before 2014, there were only 14 radars, but now the number has increased to over 150. In the next two years, this number will reach 200. He expressed gratitude for the support received from Union Minister of State Yogi Adityanath and the government. He stated that in the coming days, the Meteorological Department will work more rapidly in Uttar Pradesh.
Earlier, the Meteorological Department honored Chief Minister Yogi and Union Minister of State Singh with a shawl and a plant
Lucknow Center will monitor the weather in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand
The upgrading of the Lucknow Meteorological Center to a Regional Meteorological Center (RMC) will simplify many tasks. With this, the Lucknow Center will have jurisdiction over Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The RMC status will further strengthen weather monitoring, accurate forecasting, and timely early warning services in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. This will enable better preparedness for heavy rain, storms, lightning strikes, and other weather-related events.
