South Kashmir’s Kulgam gets automatic weather station

Srinagar, Jan 04: Authorities have put in place a sophisticated weather station in south Kashmir's Kulgam district with an aim to keep agriculturalists updated with real time weather check and soil analysis.

Quoting officials, a report in India Today said the installation of the weather station is part of the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), operational at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in the Pombai area of Kulgam.

"The weather station has primarily been installed to benefit the farming community," KVK Pombai Kulgam Senior Scientist and Head Manzoor Ahmad Ganai said.

He said the multifunctional weather station offers comprehensive real-time updates on various factors, including wind direction, temperature, humidity, wind speed, soil temperature, soil moisture, solar radiation, solar intensity and insights into pest activity.

Underlining the vitality of the station, Ganai emphasized that its main objective is pest detection and providing farmers with early warnings about potential threats to their environment.

He also mentioned that those who have registered with the Krishi Vigyan Kendra receive good-quality support in farming. Additionally, he added that in the event the spray is washed away by rain, it may lead to scab and fungal infections attacking the orchards.

“The proactive approach of the weather station enables farmers to make timely decisions, such as scheduling orchard sprays based on weather forecasts, preventing economic losses due to the high costs and labour associated with pesticides,” he said.

The officer further emphasised that the weather station is a government initiative, and people should benefit from such development.

“There are 29 HADP projects, and people should avail themselves of the benefits of these projects. Last time, we demonstrated a drone based on sensors. The drone automatically sprays the areas that require spraying,” he said.