VELLORE: The state government has proposed to start automated weather stations in 100 locations for which identification of sites is currently under way, to ensure accurate information about weather, said Disaster Mitigation and Management Department director KS Kandasamy.

Conveying this to DT Next, he said, “the proposed weather stations, which were estimated at Rs 1.80 crore, will provide information on speed, pressure and direction of wind, soil moisture percentage and humidity. If soil moisture content falls below 40 per cent it will be an indication of potential drought.”

Adding that such advance information would allow the state government to undertake proper remedial measures, he said information regarding various weather components had been sent to the IMD (Indian Meteorology Department) for the creation of a low cost, in-house module, which would ensure advance information reaching Chennai from the national capital. The module will be in the form of an advisory, he added.Meanwhile, tenders are expected to be floated and work orders issued within a month for setting up automatic rain gauge stations at 1,500 locations in different places in the state at a cost of Rs 27 crore, Kandasamy added.

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