Himachal farmers install anti-hail guns worth र 1.2 cr sans govt help
After facing losses year after year due to hailstorm, farmers of Shimla district installed two anti-hail guns at Ratnari and Baghi villages — 85km from here. Since there is no provision of a government subsidy, farmers paid for the project out of their own pocket.
These guns, also called anti-hail cannons, imported from New Zealand, are expected to protect over a dozen villages from hailstorm. The idea to install them was conceived in March and a society was formed.
Subsequently, all the formalities for importing the two anti-hail guns — worth `1.20 crore —were completed. Last week, farmers received anti-hail cannons and installed them at Baghi and Ratnari. Baghi gram panchayat head Raj Kumar Bhinta said simple science was behind anti-hail guns and its effectiveness. “An anti-hail gun is hassle-free in its use as compared to putting up anti-hail nets,” Bhinta told HT.
Every year, hailstorms pound the apple crop and cause losses in the lakhs to the farmers. Even after putting up anti-hail nets, which are being promoted by the state government, farmers felt that anti-hail guns would have been more effective.
In 2010, the BJP government had installed three anti-hail guns in Deorighat, Khatasu and Bareonghat.
An anti-hail cannon is a shock wave generator intended to disrupt the formation of hailstones in the atmosphere in the beginning stage. An explosive charge of acetylene gas and air is fired in the lower chamber of the machine and the resulting energy passes through the neck and develops a shock wave. Shock wave travels at the speed of sound through the cloud formations.