A long-awaited Doppler weather radar (DWR) commenced operations in Kainsir, Sambalpur on Wednesday, as Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi officially inaugurated the locally manufactured facility.

This equipment, created under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, is designed to provide real-time weather information, enhancing forecasts for severe weather events such as thunderstorms, lightning, hailstorms, and heavy rainfall.

Majhi remarked, “The Doppler weather radar at Sambalpur holds significant regional importance. It will integrate a vast area of Odisha into the weather forecasting network and bolster our ability to predict and manage natural disasters effectively.”

He further emphasized that this Sambalpur unit is the third Doppler radar in Odisha, joining the existing radars located in Paradip and Gopalpur.

Functioning continuously throughout the day, the radar will produce accurate readings over a 250 km radius, enabling meteorologists to track weather patterns up to approximately 450 km away.

The new radar coverage will primarily benefit thirteen districts: Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Deogarh, Sonepur, Balangir, Boudh, Nuapada, Angul, Kalahandi, Keonjhar, and Dhenkanal. It will also extend its reach to some areas in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

Union Minister for Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh participated in the inauguration via video link, while Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari was present at the site.