Govt with new strategy to reduce air pollution; cloud seeding carried out

NEW DELHI: Authorities have announced that cloud seeding was carried out to artificially induce rainfall in Delhi. The goal of this experiment was to reduce air pollution in the national capital. A plane that took off from Kanpur carried out cloud seeding over areas such as Burari, North Karol Bagh, Bhojpur, Mayur Vihar, and Sadakpur. According to officials, the clouds over Delhi contained around 15–20% humidity. Based on this, it was estimated that rain might occur very soon.

This experiment is part of the Delhi government’s new strategy to improve air quality, which usually worsens during winter. A similar test was earlier conducted in Burari. To induce rainfall, small amounts of silver iodide and sodium chloride were released from the aircraft. However, since the atmospheric humidity was lower than required, rain did not occur.

Last week, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that cloud seeding has become a necessity for the national capital and that such measures are essential to tackle the city’s ongoing environmental challenges.

Cloud seeding is an artificial weather modification process in which chemicals such as silver iodide or salt particles are released into clouds to trigger rainfall. These particles act as nuclei around which moisture condenses and eventually forms raindrops. This method can help produce rain and thereby reduce air pollution by cleaning the atmosphere. However, for the experiment to succeed, sufficient humidity in the atmosphere is crucial.