Clouds over Delhi government's plan to induce rain amid air pollution
Permissions from agencies and suitable meteorological conditions are required before the experiment can take place.
No artificial rain will be induced in Delhi on November 20 or 21, as was planned initially, as the meteorological conditions are currently unfavourable to attempt cloud seeding, officials aware of the matter said on Sunday.
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The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, which was to execute this experiment in Delhi, said it required a stronger western disturbance to influence the Capital which can provide adequate cloud cover to artificially induce rain.
Manindra Agrawal from IIT Kanpur, who is heading the artificial rain project, and made a presentation before the Delhi government and the lieutenant governor last week, said the meteorological conditions would remain unfavourable at least for the next week.
The Delhi government had considered cloud seeding in a bid to tamp down the Capital’s severe pollution crisis. Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique, where a compound — silver iodide (AgI), is released into the atmosphere to aid the formation of ice crystals and improve the ability of the cloud to create rain. Silver iodide helps in the creation of tiny ice nuclei in crowds required to bring rain.
“We will not be carrying out this experiment on November 20 or 21, as announced by the Delhi government, as we need sufficient pre-existing cloud cover. Currently does not appear to be a possibility in the coming week,” said Agrawal.
“Permissions from the Centre and other agencies are also not complete. Once both these conditions align, we can plan the first such experiment for Delhi,” he said, adding that a formal proposal was also sent to LG VK Saxena.
A senior official from the environment department said they were assessing both the air quality and the meteorological conditions.
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“The idea to bring rain on these dates is being reassessed. Permissions from agencies will not be a problem, but we need a strong western disturbance, which brings ample clouds naturally,” the official said. IIT Kanpur will use a special aircraft modified and retrofitted with cloud-seeding equipment to carry out the exercise.