Jammu: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Friday said while there is no precise forecasting mechanism yet for earthquakes and cloudbursts, efforts are underway to study the contributing factors behind cloudbursts to enable possible early warnings.
“Cloudbursts usually occur when humidity and heat accumulate at a particular place, making conditions explosive. If we can identify these factors, we can issue at least early alerts,” Singh said at a Vartalap programme organised by the PIB in Jammu. He added that initiatives like the Himalayan Ecology Mission have been launched to better understand such phenomena.
On strengthening weather services, Singh announced plans to set up a full-fledged IMD regional centre in Jammu and install four additional weather radars across the Union Territory.
The minister also spoke about restarting lithium exploration in Reasi after an initial poor response during the tendering stage. “Once exploration begins, we will know the actual reserves. Several specialised firms exist, but none came forward earlier. We will reinitiate the process,” he said.
Highlighting India’s startup growth, Singh noted that the country has become the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, expanding from 350 startups in 2014 to over 1.5 lakh in 2025. He cited the success of the CSIR-Aroma Mission, under which more than 3,000 lavender-based startups have been set up in rural India, including Jammu & Kashmir.
“These ventures are generating significant income and jobs, transforming thousands of families. With distillation facilities in Jammu, the region can evolve into a perfume hub, and we invite private players to collaborate,” he said. Singh added that international partnerships are also being explored, citing his visit to Grasse in France, a global perfume hub.
He also lauded the media for its role in promoting science, technology, and environmental awareness.
