Delhi is set to launch its first-ever cloud seeding trial from July 4 to 11 to combat its persistent air pollution through artificial rain.
Announced by Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the Rs 3.21 crore project will deploy modified Cessna aircraft to disperse a scientifically formulated mix of silver iodide nanoparticles, iodised salt, and rock salt into moisture-laden clouds over northwest and outer Delhi, with the aim of triggering rainfall and cleansing the air.
Coordinated by IIT Kanpur and IMD Pune, the operation is a historic first for the capital and will cover 100 sq km in each of the five 90-minute sorties.
Cloud seeding is used to make it rain or snow by adding special substances such as silver iodide or salt to clouds. It can be done using airplanes, rockets, or machines on the ground.
Cloud seeding is used in many countries (China, US, UAE) to help with droughts, increase snowfall, reduce hail, clear fog, or improve air quality. It usually works only when there are already clouds in the sky and can increase rainfall by about 5-15 per cent.
Cloud seeding works by adding certain substances into clouds to encourage the formation of raindrops or snowflakes. These substances, like silver iodide, potassium iodide, dry ice, or salt, act as "nuclei" that attract water vapour. When water vapour gathers around these particles, it condenses into larger droplets or ice crystals. Once these droplets or crystals become heavy enough, they fall to the ground as rain or snow.
There are two main types of cloud seeding: cold cloud seeding, where silver iodide helps ice crystals form in supercooled clouds (below 0 degrees Celsius), and warm cloud seeding, where salt particles help small droplets combine into larger raindrops.
Cloud seeding is generally considered moderately effective, with studies and real-world programmes showing it can increase rainfall or snowfall by about 5-15 per cent under the right conditions.
In places like the western United States and Australia, cloud seeding has been used successfully to boost snowpack and water supply, with some projects reporting gains of up to 14 per cent. Results vary depending on the method, weather conditions, and region.
For example, in India, a pilot project saw only a 3 per cent increase in rainfall. The technique works only if suitable clouds already exist and is most effective in moisture-rich or supercooled cloud systems.
Cloud seeding is generally considered moderately effective, with studies and real-world programmes showing it can increase rainfall under the right conditions.
Paris has traded automotive routes for bike lanes, adding green spaces and eliminating 50,000 parking spaces.
In a first for the national capital, Delhi is set to witness artificial rain aimed at reducing air pollution, with cloud seeding scheduled between July 4 and 11, subject to weather conditions, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said.
Thunderstorm and rain likely in Delhi on Friday, says India Meteorological Department, with minimum temperature stood at 29 degrees Celsius. Maximum may hit 37 degrees Celsius. AQI at satisfactory level, reading 95.
According to the CAQM, end-of-life vehicles will be prohibited from being refueled in Delhi.
................................ Advertisement ................................
Opinion | Why Indians Have Just Given Up On Air Pollution CrisisTanushree Ganguly
Friday December 20, 2024While some may argue that people in Delhi are now more aware of air pollution than they were a decade back, my rebuttal would be that awareness does not mean that people are concerned.
Opinion | You Must Outrage Over Filthy Air More Than Once A YearJyoti Pande Lavakare
Tuesday December 10, 2024Delhi welcomed us with monsoon rains and mangos. We were home. Fast forward a couple of years, in the winter of 2012, I found myself in denial about something other parents, mostly expats, were calling toxic air.
Opinion | Delhi's Air Pollution Situation Is Like A Bad MarriageNishtha Gautam
Friday November 22, 2024On a good day, such as today, the AQI reading in Delhi is 407. We are jubilant at the sickly sunshine trickling through the slightly dissipated smog. At least its not 1600.
दिवाली... पराली... सियासी जुगाली!Ashwini kumar
Monday November 18, 2024दिल्ली-एनसीआर में प्रदूषण का समाधान तो आज तक मिला नहीं. हर साल चिंतित होकर हम-आप सांसों की तकलीफ के साथ-साथ दिल और ब्लड प्रेशर के मरीज भी क्यों बनें?
घर में कैद बुजुर्ग और हांफते लोग, दिल्ली की सांसों में घुला ये कैसा रोग?Nidhi Kulpati
Friday November 08, 2024हमारी हवा जहरीली हो रही है. गुरुवार की शाम को जब मैं इस मुद्दे पर लिखने बैठी तो AQI लगातार 400 पार जाकर दम घोंट रहा था. बहुत लोगों को यह मामला बोरिंग लगे, लेकिन जब आप अपने साथ काम करने वालों को खांसते-हांफते देखते-सुनते हैं, तो चिंता होने लगती है. सुबह उठते ही दरवाजे खिड़कियां खोलने के लिए डॉक्टर मना कर रहे हैं. बड़े बुजुर्गों के लिए तो मॉर्निंग वॉक बाहर की दुनिया से सीधे संपर्क का ज़रिया है, लेकिन डॉक्टर इसकी भी मनाही कर रहे हैं.