26 March 2019 05:21 pm
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has suspended the project to trigger artificial rain over the Mausakelle and Castlereagh catchment area, a senior CEB officer told Daily Mirror today.
He said the project was temporarily halted because the clouds over these catchment areas did not contain sufficient moisture to trigger artificial rain.
“We are in the process of identifying areas which need artificial rain. As far as triggering artificial rain in the Maussakele and Castlereagh catchment area is concerned, we have to further examine whether it is worthwhile to continue as there is no moisture in the clouds,” he said.
CEB Deputy General Manager Hemantha Ranasinghe said some Rs.3 million had been spent on this research project which would continue with the availability of suitable conditions.
“Discussions on this research project began in 2017 with technical assistance from Thailand,” he said.
Chemicals were sprayed to trigger artificial rain over the Maussakele and Castlereagh catchment areas on Fridayand Saturday with the assistance of the Air Force.
The Air Force used a Y12 plane to spray the clouds with chemicals at an altitude of 8,000 feet resulting in an hour of rain in the Maussakele catchment area. (Sheain Fernandopulle and Ranjith Rajapksha)