Delhi Delays Cloud Seeding Initiative Amid Monsoon Deluge
Delhi's cloud seeding project to reduce air pollution has been postponed to late August due to ongoing monsoon rains. The Environment Minister cited non-ideal conditions for the delay. The operation involves releasing particles into clouds to induce rain, aiming to wash out pollutants and improve air quality.
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As monsoon rains drench Delhi, the capital's pioneering cloud seeding project aimed at reducing air pollution has been postponed. Initially planned for early July, the project is now rescheduled to late August, according to Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa. He announced the decision during a press conference, explaining that the ongoing rains might not provide suitable conditions for effective cloud seeding.
The project, now slated for August 30 to September 10, will proceed once the monsoon recedes, Sirsa noted, expressing confidence in the new timeline providing optimal cloud formations. The initiative involves aircraft equipped with cloud-seeding instruments, which will operate over specified areas known for pollution retention.
The Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Kanpur, will conduct the operation, having secured all necessary certifications and permissions from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Sirsa emphasized that this trial is part of a broader Environment Action Plan aimed at addressing pollution challenges, with data from these flights intended to enhance strategies during winter months.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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