As Delhi continues to choke on post-Diwali smog, the city is set to attempt its first full-fledged cloud seeding trial on Tuesday to bring relief.
An aircraft from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur is on its way to Delhi, carrying special salt-based and silver iodide flares designed to trigger rain. The exercise was slated to take place at 12:30 pm, but was delayed due to low visibility.
The modified Cessna-206H will fly over moisture-laden clouds on the northern fringes of Delhi, where chemicals like silver iodide and sodium chloride will be released to induce precipitation.
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the first trial will be conducted as soon as visibility improves. If successful, it could help reduce air pollution levels significantly, he added.
It follows a test flight last week over Burari in north Delhi, during which small doses of silver iodide and sodium chloride were released. However, low moisture levels (below 20 per cent, compared to the 50 per cent needed) prevented rainfall.
The cloud seeding project had received final approvals from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Delhi government’s environment department, marking the first full-scale attempt to induce artificial rain in the national capital.
The effort comes amid yet another alarming spike in air pollution following Diwali and a rise in stubble burning in neighbouring states amid the onset of winter.
On Tuesday morning, Delhiites woke up to cloudy skies and thick haze, with the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) hovering at 305, squarely in the ‘very poor’ category. According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, 27 of the city’s 38 monitoring stations reported similar readings.
Source: India Today