While the national capital continues to suffer “severe” air quality levels, the Arvind Kejriwal government is planning a spell of artificial rain in Delhi on November 20-21 to provide relief to residents.
A team from IIT Kanpur had proposed that a spell of artificial rain may help. Amid the Supreme Court hearing a bunch of petitions seeking immediate steps to curb the pollution, the Delhi government had asked the IIT team for a detailed plan. It will submit this plan to the Supreme Court on November 10. If the Supreme Court gives a go-ahead, the Delhi government and the Centre will take steps to implement the plan, stated a report by NDTV.
Artificial rain, also known as cloud seeding, is a weather modification technique to induce precipitation by enhancing the formation of raindrops in clouds. It is done by introducing certain substances, often silver iodide or potassium iodide, into the clouds.
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IIT Kanpur professor Manindra Agrawal told ANI the institution has its aircraft in which flares have been attached to do cloud seeding and it has been approved by DGCA. “With this, we can do cloud seedings anywhere...We along with CII have been planning on cloud seeding to control pollution in Delhi NCR for the last two months. CII is active and coordinating with the Delhi government and the Central government...Rain through cloud seeding makes the dust particles settle down and flow with water making the environment clean and pollution-free at that time. Until we take action on the pollution sources it will come again...” he said.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on November 9 called a meeting with all ministers to discuss the air pollution problem gripping the national capital for more than two weeks now. He announced that AAP ministers will undertake on-ground visits to ensure the enforcement of anti-pollution measures in the city. “The ministers will issue directions to officials on duty in these districts so that the restrictions can be strictly enforced,” Rai said.
Amid the Supreme Court hearing a bunch of petitions seeking immediate steps to curb the pollution, the Delhi government sought a detailed plan from the IIT team. It will submit the plan in the Supreme Court on November 10. The court is hearing a bunch of petitions seeking urgent steps to address Delhi's toxic air days. If the Supreme Court gives a go-ahead, the Delhi government and the centre will take steps to implement the plan.
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