Due to heavy shortage of pure water in the Karachi, Sindh local government has approved the idea of artificial raining in the area. The idea of cloud seeding technology is approved by the Sindh Minister for Local Government and Chairman of Karachi Water & Sewerage Board (KWSB) Syed Nasir Hussain Shah.
To successfully complete the initial phase of project, KWSB has draft the plan on direction of the Sindh Minister for Local Government. However, it will be implemented after getting the final approval from the Secretary Local Government Sindh that will be presented to him soon. There will be a great effect on the current water situation of the Karachi city as cloud seeding technology will results in filling of Hub Dam where the present water level is very low because of short rain in the current monsoon season.
It is important to note here that idea of cloud seeding technology doesn’t come instantly. The work on the idea took place three month before during heatwave that left thousands of people died. The reasons behind rain shortfall in the city, in addition to lack of monsoon rains, are the high temperature of the city. Due to high humidity, the temperature in the city in the month of May and June reaches to 110 F degrees and in January it droop to 40F degrees. As the Karachi city is near the monsoon regions so it annually get the 291 millimeters rain during July and August. Unluckily, these two months in the current year went without too much rain that increased the shortage of water in the metropolitan city.
In cloud seeding or artificial rain process, chemical trails like silver iodide, dry ice, solid carbon dioxide, potassium iodide, and liquid propane will be sprinkle on the clouds via aircrafts or the other dispersion machines that will be installed on the ground. These chemicals will then force the clouds to rain due to chemical reaction.
Currently KWSB on direction of Syed Nasir Hussain Shah is striving to arrange the fresh water for the citizens of the Karachi. The Minister has also informed the KWSB Board to make it sure to available the water to the residence before the Youme Ashura (10th of Muharram) and strictly instructed the staff to ensure that there must be water for attendees of the Majalis and religious events.
