IIT Kanpur calls off Delhi cloud seeding operation for today
What's the story
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur has called off its planned cloud seeding operations in Delhi on Wednesday. The decision was taken due to "insufficient moisture in the clouds," a critical factor for the success of such operations. The announcement comes after two unsuccessful attempts on Tuesday, which were conducted by the Delhi government and IIT Kanpur at a cost of ₹1.28 crore, Hindustan Times reported.
Trial outcomes
Cloud seeding trials reduced major pollutants
IIT Kanpur acknowledged that while the cloud seeding attempts did not trigger rainfall, they provided valuable insights. "While rainfall could not be triggered yesterday because moisture levels were around 15 to 20%, the trial delivered valuable insights," it said in a statement. The trials resulted in a measurable reduction of major pollutants like PM2.5 and PM10 by 6-10%. This data was collected from monitoring stations across Delhi, which recorded real-time changes in particulate matter and moisture levels.
Pollution levels
Delhi's air quality remains 'very poor'
Despite the cloud seeding trials, Delhi's air quality continues to remain very poor and poor in most areas on Wednesday. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 316, while ITO was close behind at 300. RK Puram and Wazirpur also recorded AQIs of 305 and 332, respectively. In response to the deteriorating air quality, GRAP II norms have been implemented in Delhi.
Expert insights
Low moisture content in clouds caused unsuccessful attempts
IIT Kanpur Director Manindra Agarwal explained that the cloud seeding mixture used only had 20% silver iodide, with the rest being rock salt and common salt. He said Tuesday's attempts were not completely successful due to low moisture content in the clouds. "The possibility of causing rain with such low moisture content is not very high," Agarwal said.
Pollution mitigation
Cloud seeding not a permanent solution for pollution control
Agarwal emphasized that cloud seeding is not a permanent solution for pollution control but an "SOS solution" for crises. "It is an SOS solution. When you have a crisis situation, very high pollution, it is one of the methods one can attempt in order to bring down pollution," he said. He stressed that controlling pollution sources is the ideal long-term solution. The director also said costs could be reduced as flights are currently being conducted from Uttar Pradesh.