The Delhi government has opted to cover the entire cost of artificial rain as a measure to combat hazardous air pollution in the city

The Delhi government has opted to cover the entire cost of artificial rain as a measure to combat hazardous air pollution in the city. Officials have directed the chief secretary to present the government’s stance before the Supreme Court on Friday.

If the central government supports this decision, the Delhi government aims to implement the first phase of artificial rain in the city by 20 November, according to officials. The Delhi government has agreed  to bear the cost of Phase 1 and Phase 2 pilots (totaling Rs 13 crore) for carrying out artificial rain.

The Arvind Kejriwal government plans to induce artificial rain through cloud seeding technology to address air pollution in Delhi, as mentioned by Environment Minister Gopal Rai after a meeting with the IIT-Kanpur team.

The IIT-Kanpur team reported successful trials of artificial rain in Kanpur, with a success rate of six out of seven attempts. They suggested that the technology could be tried in Delhi during winter to reduce air pollution levels.

Permissions from 10 central government ministries and agencies, as well as the Uttar Pradesh government, will be necessary for inducing artificial rain. The estimated cost of the project is around Rs 1 lakh per square kilometre, as per their inputs, according to IIT-Kanpur team.

The team recommended initiating a pilot cloud seeding covering 300 square kilometres in the first phase, given the air pollution emergency in Delhi.

The IIT-Kanpur experts indicated that sufficient clouds over Delhi are predicted around 20-21 November , making it feasible to conduct the first phase of the cloud seeding attempt during those days. Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar has been tasked with coordinating the project with the IIT-Kanpur team and central ministries, submitting the proposal for artificial rain before the Supreme Court through an affidavit.

Artificial rain through cloud seeding involves dispersing substances into the air to encourage condensation and precipitation. Common substances used for cloud seeding include silver iodide, potassium iodide, and dry ice. This technique has been employed globally, especially in regions facing water scarcity or drought conditions.

(Inputs from PTI)