Panel calls for better synergy between IMD and private weather forecasters

Need for one authoritative source of forecasts discussed, especially during extreme climate events like cyclones or flash floods

There is a need for better synergy between the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and private forecasters to avoid confusion, especially during extreme climate events like cyclones or flash floods, the Standing Committee on Science said in a meeting on Friday. The Standing Committee was deliberating on the subject of “Update on Monsoon Situation in the Country”. Chairman of the Committee and senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, according to the sources, said that while the entry of private players was inevitable, there must be one authoritative source of forecasts. “How that needs to be done must be worked out,” one of the members said.