Pre-emptive strike

The popularity of anti-hail cannons among Himachal Pradesh farmers has made the state build an indigenous version, though the efficacy of such devices is unproven

- RAJU SAJWAN

TILL 2010, nearly all apples in my orchard would get damaged or destroyed by hail every year. The anti-hail cannon has put an end to that,” says Akash Bhimta of Himachal Pradesh. His 3-hectare-orchard in Bareoghat village now rarely faces hailstorm since the state government installed the device on the nearby hill, says Bhimta.

2010 was the year the state government installed anti-hail cannons at three villages—Bareoghat, Deori Ghat and Kathasu—in the apple-growing areas of Shimla after severe hailstorms caused widespread damages to the fruit in the district the year before. The cannon blasts shockwaves (soundwaves) which heat up the cloud and prevent the formation of hail (see Gun mechanism'). Though the science behind the efficacy of the cannons in preventing hail remains unsubstantiated, their purported success has led to huge demand among farmers and the government is now developing an indigenous cannon.

Hailstorm has been a huge problem for Himachal Pradesh farmers. The state loses 25-30 per cent of its horticulture crop every year because of hailstorms, as per the State Disaster Management Report 2017. A 2021 report by the state's revenue department estimates a loss of horticulture crop due to hail at ₹ 211.6 crore. It also says that Himachal Pradesh lost over 21,000 hectares of other standing crops worth nearly up ₹ 72.8 crore due to hail.