Delhi Government Proposes Cloud Seeding to Counter Smog Worsening, Awaits Supreme Court Approval
Cloud seeding efforts led by a team from IIT Kanpur aim to induce rainfall and reduce pollution, despite challenges and unpredictable success rates tied to weather conditions.
- The Delhi government has proposed a plan to combat the city's escalating air pollution through cloud seeding, which induces artificial rain. A team of scientists from IIT Kanpur will draft the plan for Supreme Court approval.
- Cloud seeding is a decades-old technology, but its implementation presents various challenges. It requires the right atmospheric conditions, significant resources, and a careful environmental and ethical evaluation, given the potential impact on ecosystems and the possibility of altering weather patterns in nearby regions.
- Cloud seeding has been used in several countries, including the US, China, and Russia, to address issues such as water scarcity and air pollution. However, it has been abandoned in the past in Delhi due to unfavourable conditions.
- The scientists are waiting for cloud cover in Delhi around November 20 and hope to trigger heavy rain using silver iodine and other salts. The project is estimated to cost 10 million rupees ($120,000) for an area of 100 square kilometers.
- Apart from cloud seeding, the Delhi government has also taken other measures to tackle air pollution, such as closing all schools, halting construction activities, and considering restrictions on vehicle use.
Reuters 
CNA 
