Keeping in view recent incidents of flash floods and cloudbursts, Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Friday said that Jammu and Kashmir faces unique weather challenges and that the newly inaugurated Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Jammu will provide more accurate and location-specific weather forecasts.
He said mountain weather forecasts will now be more focused and different from general forecasts.
Dr Singh also said that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has gained the trust of people through its increasingly accurate weather predictions.
Jitendra Singh inaugurated the Regional Meteorological Centre in Jammu.
It is the seventh such centre in India.
The centre was inaugurated on World Environment Day.
The new centre will improve weather monitoring, forecasting, and early warning systems in Jammu and Kashmir.
The region often experiences extreme weather events, western disturbances, flash floods, landslides, and heavy snowfall.
Director General of Meteorology Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said that climate change is having a major impact on the Himalayan region. He said the new centre will help improve weather forecasts and warning systems.
According to him, the centre is an important step towards making India a weather-ready and climate-smart nation.
Mohapatra also said that western disturbances frequently affect Jammu and Kashmir, causing heavy rain, snowfall, and temperature changes. The new facility will help monitor these weather systems more effectively and provide timely warnings.
Jammu MP Jugal Kishore Sharma welcomed the new centre. He said it will provide more accurate weather information to residents and help them plan their daily activities. He also said the centre could create new employment opportunities in the region.
Jammu and Kashmir Science and Technology Minister Satish Sharma called the centre a valuable institution for the people of the Union Territory. He praised the young scientists working there and said their forecasts and warnings help save lives.
Sharma also expressed hope that Jammu and Kashmir would soon host Indian Premier League (IPL) matches.
