Delhi's Sky Experiment: Artificial Rain to Combat Air Pollution

In a pioneering effort to combat severe air pollution, Delhi is set to initiate its first artificial rain experiment through cloud seeding. An aircraft designated for this purpose has departed from Kanpur, heading towards the national capital. This development was confirmed by Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

Cloud seeding is a technique aiming to generate rainfall by dispersing specific particles, like silver iodide crystals or salt-based compounds, into clouds rich with moisture. These particles help coalesce smaller cloud droplets into larger raindrops, potentially resulting in precipitation.

Following Diwali, the Air Quality Index (AQI) across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) has plunged into 'poor' and 'very poor' categories across numerous areas, despite the implementation of Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi's AQI was recorded at 304 at 1 pm on Tuesday, placing it in the 'very poor' category.

Specific monitoring stations reported concerning figures: Anand Vihar at 311, RK Puram at 316, Siri Fort at 347, Bawana at 334, Burari Crossing at 319, Dwarka Sector 8 at 311, Mundka at 318, Narela at 302, and Punjabi Bagh at 313, all classified as 'very poor'. Last week, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta championed cloud seeding as not only necessary but also as a trailblazing effort to tackle the city's ongoing environmental issues.

In an interview with ANI, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta remarked, 'Cloud seeding is a necessity for Delhi and marks the first experiment of its kind. We aim to assess its potential in mitigating this grave environmental threat.' She further stated, 'The support of the Delhi populace is with the government, and there is optimism that this venture will succeed in alleviating future environmental challenges.' (ANI)