Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, July 6, 2015 : The much-awaited state-of-art doppler radar, which produces velocity data about objects at a distance and is extremely accurate in tracking cyclones, will become operational at Gopalpur and Paradip ports within two months. Two more Doppler radars will be installed soon at Balasore and Sambalpur,

This was informed by Sailesh Naik, Union secretary in the ministry of Earth Sciences here today at a high level meeting chaired by chief secretary GC Pati at the State Secretariat here.

Along with Naik, Director General, Indian Meteorological Centre (IMD) LS Rathore and other state government officials were present at the meeting.

“We are going to make these two hi-tech Doppler radars at Paradip and Gopalpur operational within two months. With this, the requirement of the state government on early cyclone warning would be completed,” Naik told reporters after the meeting.

Stating that the meeting also discussed the agriculture requirement of the state government, he said the process would be augmented at the earliest possible.

“We have recently developed some new products on rainfall and precipitation index which would be put in place in Odisha,” he added.

Talking about the advantage of the hi-tech Doppler radar, the IMD DG said it would provide early warning on the location, direction and movement and intensity of the cyclonic circulation, the time of its landfall and wind speed.

The state government has set up 314 rain gauge stations at various places in the state. The Meteorological Department of Government of India has set up 177 automatic rain gauge stations with 37 autonomous weather gauge stations, an official release from the chief secretary office said.