SHIMLA/NEW DELHI:
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu met Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh in New Delhi and sought a series of specific science and technology projects for the state, particularly for strengthening weather forecasting and extending scientific infrastructure to remote and tribal areas.
The most pressing demand was for two additional Doppler Weather Radars—one in Lahaul-Spiti and another in Kinnaur—to improve monitoring of extreme weather in some of the state's most vulnerable regions. Himachal currently has three Doppler Weather Radars at Kufri, Jot and Murari Devi, while the two additional radars are proposed to take the total to five.
Sukhu also sought 24 Automatic Rain Gauges, 21 Automatic Snow Gauges and one Radio Sonde/Radio Wind system for the state.
He urged the Centre to expedite the installation of automatic rain gauges in every gram panchayat and automated weather stations at the block level, arguing that weather warnings must reach communities at the grassroots rather than remain confined to district-level forecasting.
The demand assumes greater significance after repeated cloudbursts, flash floods, landslides and heavy snowfall have exposed gaps in Himachal's local weather observation network.
Better radar coverage will be useful only if the data is rapidly converted into accurate, location-specific warnings and reaches vulnerable villages in time.
Sukhu also proposed establishing a Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics in the high-altitude tribal areas of Lahaul-Spiti and Pangi, modelled on the astronomical initiatives at Hanle in Ladakh.
The proposed facility could support scientific research while opening possibilities for astronomy-based education and high-altitude tourism.
Another demand was to establish science museums in schools located in aspirational development blocks, particularly to give students in remote areas greater exposure to science, technology and innovation.
On agriculture, Sukhu sought expansion of the CSIR Aroma Mission's lavender cultivation programme in Himachal. CSIR-IIIM Jammu has already established a demonstration initiative at Upper Bhamla in Mandi's Baldwara area, where around 20,000 lavender cuttings have been planted and nearly 150 farmers associated with the programme. The Chief Minister sought more demonstration sites and scientific support to expand lavender cultivation across suitable areas of the state.
The meeting also covered the Himachal Pradesh IAS State cadre issue, along with other proposals aimed at strengthening science and technology-based interventions in the state.
Sukhu said Dr Jitendra Singh responded positively to the proposals and assured sympathetic consideration of the demands.
However, for Himachal, the significance of the meeting will ultimately depend on what comes out of it—not what was discussed in it.
The state has been seeking stronger weather-monitoring and early-warning infrastructure as extreme weather events intensify.
