The Himachal Government has decided to continue with the controversial anti-hail gun which was installed in the Jubbal-Kotkhai areas of Shimla district to benefit the apple growers.
Despite opposition from several Panchayats and Gram Sabhas State Horticulture minister Vidya Stokes clarified this in the Assembly while replying to a question asked by Shimla MlA Suresh Bhardwaj in order to clear stand of the Government on the anti-hail guns.
She said that a large number of people and several groups have requested the Government to remove the guns as it has affected the crops in the adjoining areas.
Three anti-hail guns were installed by the previous BJP Government in 2010 in the apple belts of Shimla district to protect crops from hails.
The horticulture department of the State had installed them in Deorighat, Kathasu and Braionghat to protect apples from hailstorms during the flowering and fruit setting season.
Stokes, herself a prominent apple grower in Shimla district, said, “Preliminary results about the worthiness of the anti-hail guns are not very clear. Even the common man has doubts about its usefulness.”
This sparked a war of words between ruling and Opposition parties. Former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said that it is hard to believe that anti-hail guns have led to more damage in adjoining areas.
“This anti-hail gun bursts the cloud and ensures rain not hailstorm, then how come the cloud migrates to the adjoining areas,” asked Dhumal.
Stokes said that 80 percent of people in apple growers’ conference rejected the concept of anti-hail gun and only 20 per cent believed that its use should continue till more results come.
“For this purpose budgetary provisions were made for 80 per cent subsidy on anti-hail net,” said Stokes.
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said that this was a misconceived project and obsolete technology which is not based on any scientific results and has been rejected by most of the European countries.