Government delays cloud seeding

JAKARTA: The government decided on Monday to delay a cloud seeding operation to deal with the dry season in Yogyakarta and Central Jakarta because of a request by the local administrations, a minister said.

State Minister of Science and Technology Hatta Radjasa said after a Cabinet meeting that Yogyakarta and Central Java governors had written him, suggesting that the government wait for another week before implementing the project because local farmers were planting dry season corps on their rice fields.

The Technology Assessment and Application Agency (BPPT) had planned a cloud seeding operation in Wonogiri and Kedungombo in Central Java and other hard-hit areas in Yogyakarta this week, although it was skeptical about its success due to the lack of clouds.

The agency had provided Rp 10 billion (US$1.1million) for the cloud seeding. Hatta said the plane which would carry out the project was ready for use at Adisucipto airport in Yogyakarta. --JP