Artificial rain in Delhi: All about today's cloud seeding trial
What's the story
The Delhi government is all set to conduct its first-ever cloud seeding trial today, if the weather permits. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa discussed the dependency on weather conditions for conducting the trial. The operation will depend on weather conditions in Kanpur, where the aircraft for this purpose is currently stationed. As per Sirsa, Kanpur currently has 2,000-meter visibility. The plane will be cleared for takeoff if conditions improve to 5,000 meters by 1:00pm or so.
Technique
What is cloud seeding?
Cloud seeding is a technique that involves firing salt or other chemicals into clouds using planes, to induce rain. The trial aims to create artificial rain as part of a larger plan to improve Delhi's air quality during winter. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said cloud seeding is a necessity for the national capital and an innovative solution to its ongoing environmental challenges.
Forecast
Test run conducted last Thursday
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted suitable weather conditions for cloud seeding between October 28-30. Delhi is experiencing a cloudy sky today, with mist/haze during the morning hours and very poor air quality. A test run was conducted last Thursday in Burari, where small amounts of silver iodide and sodium chloride were released from an aircraft to assess the readiness and capabilities of the equipment, but it did not result in successful rainfall due to insufficient atmospheric moisture.
Collaboration
IIT Kanpur leading the project
IIT Kanpur is leading the cloud seeding project, having signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Delhi government on September 25. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has already approved IIT Kanpur to conduct trials anytime between October 1 and November 30. All five planned trials will be conducted in northwest Delhi as part of this initiative.