Kathmandu, January 8

The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology is for the first time preparing to set up weather radars in some districts with the purpose of improving the country’s weather information system.

The process of purchasing necessary equipment has already started, informed Director General of the Department Rishiram Sharma.

The radars will be set up at Ratanangla of Surkhet, Siddhikot of Palpa and Nametar of Udayapur, he said, adding that the cost of installing the radar in Surkhet will be borne by the Asian Development Bank, while the government will provide financial aid to set up radars in other two places.

Radar installation cost is estimated to be roughly Rs 200 million each. Sharma said the radar would help provide weather-related information in easily and reduce casualties during natural disasters like flooding and landslides, making air service safer.

The department has been providing weather-related information through weather stations set up in 120 places across the country, including Kathmandu. The number of stations will be increased to 300 soon, said Sharma.

He said they were collecting weather information through weather research and forecast modality and added that they were constructing a sophisticated five-storied office building in Babarmahal, Kathmandu to provide the services effectively.

Meanwhile, department shared that westerly winds from the Mediterranean Sea had led to a sudden dip in temperature in various parts of the country causing rainfall and snowfall in the hilly region.

The government has also been operating three air quality monitoring stations in Kathmandu and Dhulikhel.

The stations in Ratnapark, Pulchowk and Dhulikhel have been forwarding the data to the central server, which automatically uploads air pollution data to the government’s website (www.pollution.gov.np).