MB hopes cloud seeding a success

SEREMBAN: The Negri Sembilan government hopes that the cloud seeding exercise, to be carried out in parts of the state from today, would bring rain in upstream areas.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the state direly needed to fill up its damns and rivers, and to avoid water rationing in the affected areas next week.

“We have been releasing 100 million litres of raw water a day from the Talang dam into Sg Ulu Muar for three weeks now so that the five water treatment plants along the river can process it for consumers.

“The rain must come or else we are going to face an even more serious problem,” he said after chairing the state exco meeting.

Mohamad said the Meteorological Services Department gave his administration the green light to cloud-seed following a drastic fall in dam and river levels.

“We will do it six times, depending on the presence of cumulo-nimbus clouds which are often associated with thunderstorms and heavy precipitation,” he said.

He said cloud seeding would be carried out in the most affected districts of Jelebu, Kuala Pilah and Jempol.

Asked about the contamination of Sg Buah, Mohamad said critics should stop accusing him of treating the matter lightly.

“Several agencies in Negri Sembilan have been working tirelessly to trace the source of the odour in the river since they were informed of it.”