Overview
- Water Resources Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy flagged off a specially equipped aircraft on Friday to formally start the operation and signal immediate readiness for sorties.
- The government approved Rs 28.52 crore for the project and awarded the contract to Kyathi Climate Modification Consultants LLP with an exemption from the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements Act.
- KNNL and KSNDMC will run the programme using Doppler radar to identify moisture-bearing cumulonimbus clouds and deploy aircraft to release seeding agents such as silver iodide or dry ice based on real-time technical guidance.
- Officials stress the method is uncertain: past operations reported roughly 27–35% success, there is no independently verified rainfall yet from the current campaign, and staff say rain can appear within 30–60 minutes if seeding works.
- The drive targets reservoir catchments and drought-hit farming areas as a short-term water-security measure ahead of the monsoon close and could draw scrutiny over procurement and transparency as longer-term water solutions remain needed.