Tamil Nadu CM writes to Amit Shah, urges Centre 'upgrade IMD's technology'

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and urged to upgrade and enhance the technology of the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai to ensure timely forecast of the weather, stating that it is unable to predict "red alert" situation in advance which hinders the preparatory action by the state.

Referring to the surprise heavy showers in Chennai on December 30, Stalin quoted extensively from IMD-RMC's bulletin of that day. "By the time an 'orange alert' was issued at 4.15 PM that day, there was heavy downpour already in Chennai and 3 nearby districts, which led to the inundation of many places and total disruption of traffic," he said.

'Request Government of India to do the needful': MK Stalin

While the downpour which started in the afternoon lasted till late at night, the Tamil Nadu CM said the India Meteorological Department's regional unit had predicted light to moderate rains in Chennai and nearby districts. 

"A timely alert from IMD helps the state and district administration to take up pre-emptive efforts to ensure the safety of people. We have, however, noted that IMD is unable to predict red alert situation sufficiently in advance giving hardly any time," Stalin said.

The shortcoming in the capability of the meteorological department to "provide accurate real-time rainfall forecasting on instances like this is often preventing the state and district administration to take up timely mobilisation of the emergency management system," he said.

"In this regard, I request the Government of India to do the needful to enhance the capacity of IMD, Chennai to enable it to make predictions of high alert situations earlier and notify the same to the state government well in time," CM Stalin said.  

The AIADMK sought Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin's immediate intervention to compensate farmers and people affected by the North-East monsoon instead of waiting for central aid. O Panneerselvam said that a relief sum of Rs 30,000 should be provided to farmers for crops destructed due to rains and Rs 5,000 to individuals affected by the rains.

(With inputs from PTI, Image: PTI)