posted 08-03-2002 02:49 AM            

Scientist blames failure of monsoon on US warplanes

A scientist claims the war in Afghanistan is partly to blame for the failure of the monsoon in parts of India.

The chief scientific officer at the Centre for Atmospheric Sciences in New Delhi says large volumes of greenhouse gases have been released by US warplanes.

Murari Lal believes the war has contributed significantly to the global warming factors he says are behind the low rainfall.

He told the Press Trust of India: "The injection of large amount of greenhouse gases and aerosols over Afghanistan, Pakistan and Arabian Sea by US fighter planes during the Afghanistan war in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere contributed to significantly deficient rainfall over north-west and central India."

Story filed: 16:35 Friday 2nd August 2002