To effectively monitor drought conditions in Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath Government has decided to establish telemetric weather stations (TWS) in tehsils across various districts.

In the initial phase, TWS will be set up in 100 most drought-prone tehsils across different districts.

Notably, priority will be given to setting up TWS in Sonbhadra, Mirzapur, and seven districts of Bundelkhand where the threat of drought looms large every year. The Relief Commissioner’s office has issued essential guidelines to Additional District Magistrates for this purpose. Furthermore, instructions have been given to mark the land for establishment during the process.

Principal Secretary Revenue P Guru Prasad said here on Sunday that farmers in the state face significant challenges from drought every year. In light of their predicament, it has been decided to initiate the setting up of TWS in 100 tehsils across different districts of the state in the initial phase. Subsequently, TWS will be established in all tehsils within every district of the state.

Relief Commissioner GS Naveen said in the first phase, priority will be given to the tehsils of all seven Bundelkhand districts, including Banda, Chitrakoot, Hamirpur, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Mahoba, and Jalaun, which suffe5r from heightened drought impact. Besides, weather stations will be set up in all tehsils of Sonbhadra, two tehsils of Mirzapur, and one tehsil of each district of the state.

Notably, an amount of Rs 10 crore has been released for this. Necessary guidelines have been issued to the Additional District Magistrates of all the districts for marking the land for the purpose. It will be followed by the setting up of TWS in all tehsils and blocks of the state.

The Relief Commissioner stated that guidelines have been issued for setting up weather stations at a distance of 7 to 10 kilometers from AWS/ARG in a space of 10×10 meters. Moreover, the location where the weather station is to be installed should be a suitable distance from large trees and buildings to mitigate the potential risk posed by shade, sunlight, rain, and wind. Necessary measures for security against theft must also be put in place, he added.