Artificial rain to start soon

Artificial rain to start soon

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Public Works Radinal Moochtar said
yesterday that his department was intensifying the production of
artificial rain in several drought-hit areas in Java and South
Sulawesi.

Speaking to reporters after the ground-breaking ceremony at
the PT Jiwasraya Building here, Radinal said the government had
taken steps to hasten the coming of the rainy season.

The rains usually start in September or October.

"The acceleration of the artificial rain making will be
combined with the preparation of dams to hold the rainwater
generated through the cloud seeding," he was quoted by Antara as
saying.

Radinal said the making of artificial rain would also be
conducted in other areas besides Java and South Sulawesi,
although not to the same extent.

Many areas across the country have been hit by a long dry
season this year, prompting 112,889 hectares of rice fields to go
dry by early August.

Authorities have declared that harvests have failed in more
than 5,870 hectares of rice fields.

This year's situation however is not as bad as in 1994 when
544,422 hectares of rice fields were hit by drought. Of these
161,144 hectares were declared failing to harvest.

Radinal shrugged off suggestions yesterday that the widespread
drought was caused by poor water management.

"That's wrong, because the government always cares about this
matter, and in fact we have succeeded in generally overcoming the
problem," he said. (aan)