GEORGE TOWN, April 13 — The Penang state government is seeking assistance from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) to carry out cloud seeding operations over dam water catchment areas in the state.
Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) chief executive officer K.Pathmanathan said the state has allocated RM400,000 for the cloud seeding operations but there were no companies that could meet the criteria and conditions set by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) to carry out the operations.
“As such, the Penang state government has no choice but to seek the kind assistance of Nadma to intervene and facilitate the implementation of cloud seeding operations as soon as possible,” he said in a statement this morning.
He said the state secretary’s office had informed the Operations Implementation Division of Nadma, via a discussion on March 29 and an official letter on March 30, that the effective capacities of its two dams, Air Itam Dam and Teluk Bahang Dam had dropped to 49.5 per cent and 50.7 per cent respectively as of today.
“The effective capacities of these two dams have been projected to drop further, towards critical levels, if the current dry season extends to August,” he said.
He said the state secretary’s office had referred to the Meteorological Department on the latest status of qualified companies that may carry out cloud seeding operations but non can meet the criteria set by CAAM.
“We hope that Nadma will prioritise the fulfilment of Penang’s request because cloud seeding operations are needed as soon as possible to induce rainfall that will refill the Air Itam Dam and Teluk Bahang Dam,” he said.
He said Penang must avoid a potential water supply crisis as it would affect 1.74 million people and disrupt the state’s socioeconomic activities that had contributed RM99 billion to the national GDP in 2021.
