A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CES & HS), Government of Arunachal Pradesh in Itanagar on Monday.

On this occasion, Tana Tage, Director, Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies), Government of Arunachal Pradesh welcomed all the dignitaries and said this MoU will have long term impact on the research activities for the societal benefits to be undertaken by them.

Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister, Earth Sciences said that people of Arunachal Pradesh will be benefitted with precise weather forecasts and warnings with the increase in meteorological observations in the state. The MoU was signed by Repo Ronya, IAS, Secretary, Science and Technology, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh and K.N. Mohan, Scientist-G and Head, Regional Meteorological Centre, Guwahati.

Honchun Ngandam, Minister, Science and Technology, Arunachal Pradesh expressed his happiness that the state will have enhanced network of weather observations and assured all possible help from the state to India Meteorological Department for executing the installation works of meteorological observatories.

Dr. Sanjay O’Neill Shaw, Scientist-F, Regional Meteorological Centre, Guwahati  said that as a part of the MoU, both organisations will carry out joint research and development in field of meteorology and its allied subjects, knowledge transfers and information/data sharing in areas of weather, extreme event monitoring and forecasting, to further the missions of their respective organization.

About 100 numbers of AWS/ ARGs (Automatic Weather Stations/ Automatic Raingauge Stations) will be installed by IMD with the help of CES & HS in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.

IMD is also planning to install three number of X-band Doppler Weather Radars in the state. This will help in enhancement of surface weather observations in the state.

Also, weather forecast with impact based advisories will also be issued for different users of the state. This will establish a mutually beneficial relationship based on scientific cooperation between the two parties in terms of trainings, knowledge transfers and data sharing and other scientific research programmes.