Delhi Likely To Get First Artificial Rain Soon After Cloud Seeding Amid Very Poor AQI
Delhi completed a cloud-seeding operation on Tuesday to combat worsening air pollution with artificial rain expected within hours. The seeding occurred over Burari, Mayur Vihar, and Karol Bagh using an aircraft from Kanpur releasing silver iodide and sodium chloride. Despite previous attempts failing due to low atmospheric moisture, the initiative aims to improve the winter air quality, which remains in the 'very poor' category with AQI exceeding 300.
Delhi conducted a cloud-seeding process on Tuesday to induce artificial rain and mitigate severe air pollution. The operation involved dispersing chemicals like silver iodide and sodium chloride from an aircraft that took off from Kanpur, focusing on areas such as Burari, Mayur Vihar, and Karol Bagh. This initiative is part of a broader winter strategy by the Delhi government to address air quality deterioration, which recently registered AQI levels above 300, classified as 'very poor'. Previous test flights failed to generate rainfall due to insufficient atmospheric moisture, which needs to be at least 50 percent, compared to the less than 20 percent recorded. Cloud seeding works by releasing agents that encourage water vapor condensation in clouds, increasing precipitation potential. The Delhi government plans additional seeding rounds to enhance the chances of rain. The technique complements other pollution control measures amid political debates blaming regional farming practices and government responses. Overall, this experiment reflects efforts to leverage weather modification techniques to improve air quality during Delhi's critical winter pollution episodes.
