Residents of Amballur panchayat with the rain gauge. A total of 12 rain gauge units have been installed at houses in Amballur panchayat.
A few residents of Amballur panchayat in Ernakulam picked up a new habit last August.
They would start their day by looking at the readings of the rain gauges installed on their rooftops. After noting this, they would add the data in a WhatsApp group they are part of. Together, they were measuring the rainfall in their area. In 2 sq km, to be specific.
“The readings helped us realise that the coastal region here received more rain than hilly areas, and that some regions were receiving less rainfall. This information is pertinent as it will alert us when the regions are getting drier, which could in turn impact agriculture and water availability,” said Mukundan K.A., research person at the Kerala Institute of Local Administration.
Under the initiative, Amballur panchayat, which has an area of 22.59 sq. km, was divided into 12 grids, with each grid measuring 2 sq km. A total of 12 rain gauge units were installed, all at residences. The project was implemented jointly by the Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology, Thurithikkara Science Centre, EDRAAC Amballur, and Susthira Foundation.
Soon, rain gauges will be set up in all local bodies of the district. As a pilot initiative, it will be implemented at Ayyampuzha, Kuttampuzha, Elanji, Njarakkal, Ramamangalam, Malayattoor, Chengamanad, Rayamangalam, and Kallorkkad.
A total of 165 grids will be set up in these local bodies. Each local body may have four to five grids where the rain gauges will be set up. The initiative is being jointly implemented by Haritha Keralam Mission, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Humes’ Centre, Thuruthikkara Science Centre, and Susthira Foundation.
“The idea is to train the community to take the readings. The readings are taken every day, and they are uploaded to a platform where the data will be analysed. The report submitted to the district administration can be used for future purposes like disaster management,” said Renjini S., district co-ordinator, Haritha Keralam Mission.
The project will help measure and understand rainfall and its pattern in an area and formulate mitigation strategies, she added.
Published – October 08, 2025 12:53 am IST
