What Is Cloud Seeding And Why Is Delhi Government Exploring The Option To Reduce Air Pollution?
With the onset of winter a couple of months away, when the air quality in Delhi worsens due to changes in wind speed and other reasons, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the government would explore cloud seeding technology to enable precipitation during low rainfall in the national capital.
He said that cloud seeding technology is being used in China and Dubai, and on the "same lines we will see its possibility in Delhi, especially during winter months".
How cloud seeding could help Delhi
Cloud seeding technology is known to enable precipitation during low rainfall seasons and helps reduce pollution.
"The CII Delhi will support the Delhi government to make CM Arvind Kejriwal's dream of making Delhi the world's number 1 city come true," a statement from the chief minister's office said.
What is cloud seeding?
Cloud seeding is a process by which rains are induced artificially by implanting clouds.
Cloud seeding is carried out by sprinkling chemical agents such as silver iodide, dry ice, and common salt?from a plane. Suitable clouds are identified based on the location of the target area and the prevailing winds. Cloud seeding produces rain when it doesn't happen naturally or increases the amount of rainfall in case of a deficit.
Cloud seeding in India??
Cloud seeding was first used in India in 1983 by Tamil Nadu, which was then facing a severe drought. Since then, several states have used cloud seeding to induce rain.
In June this year, the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K) had successfully conducted a test for artificial rain via cloud seeding.
As part of the experiment, a Cessna aircraft was flown approximately 5,000 feet from the Flight Laboratory of IIT Kanpur, and the cloud seeding resulted in heavy rains.
Delhi's past experience with cloud seeding
It should be noted that this is not the first time Delhi has proposed to use cloud seeding to combat air pollution in winter.
In 2018 and 2019, IIT-Kanpur had conducted an experimental cloud seeding in Delhi, but it failed to produce the desired results.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board, weather conditions, such as low moisture levels in the capital during the winter, are unsupportive of cloud seeding and, thus, "the project was not further taken up".
Recently, a report by the University of Chicago's Energy Policy Institute had said that air pollution is shortening lives by 11.9 years in Delhi.
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