Delhi Considers Artificial Rain Through Cloud Seeding to Combat Air Pollution Crisis

Delhi's Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, convened a meeting with a team from IIT Kanpur on Wednesday to explore the feasibility of inducing artificial rainfall through a process known as cloud seeding. The primary objective of this endeavor is to mitigate the persistently high Air Quality Index (AQI) levels in the city. Following the meeting, Minister Rai disclosed that if the weather conditions permit, artificial rain could potentially be implemented in Delhi on November 20-21.

The discussion with the IIT Kanpur team centered on the concept of cloud seeding, which essentially involves stimulating rain by introducing specific substances into clouds. The proposal for this novel approach was initially introduced by IIT Kanpur, and during the meeting, it was decided that a comprehensive proposal would be submitted to the government the following day. Should the proposal be received and reviewed favorably, it will be presented to the Supreme Court.

IIT Kanpur's estimation suggests that there is a likelihood of cloudy conditions in Delhi on November 20-21, making it a suitable window for implementing artificial rain. This timeline is contingent on securing all the necessary permissions and approvals. Minister Rai underscored that if the conditions align and the permissions are in place, the pilot project for artificial rain could be executed on those dates.

It's worth noting that the Delhi government also announced an early winter break for schools from November 9 to 18. This decision comes in response to the alarming decline in air quality, which reached the 'severe' category on Wednesday. A significant portion of this air pollution is attributed to the dispersion of smoke resulting from the burning of post-harvest paddy straw in neighboring states, further exacerbating the environmental challenges faced by the national capital.