Delhi Minister Proposes Emergency 'Cloud Seeding' To Combat Severe Air Pollution

NEW DELHI: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has written to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav to request an urgent meeting to explore the potential of cloud seeding as a way to enhance the city's air quality in response to an unrelenting increase in air pollution.

The request was made because, in spite of strict measures implemented under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-IV), Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) surpassed 450, falling into the "severe plus" category.

Rai emphasized in his letter the seriousness of the issue and the fact that the Delhi government had already implemented its Winter Action Plan to reduce pollution on September 25. He did, however, note that conventional approaches might not be enough to deal with the growing situation.

However, he pointed out that traditional measures alone might not suffice to address the escalating crisis. “The air quality in Delhi has reached hazardous levels. It is imperative to consider alternative methods, such as cloud seeding, to provide immediate relief,” he wrote. 

For the proposed cloud seeding operations to be cleared quickly, the minister further urged the participation of important parties, such as IIT Kanpur, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Defense.

In order to speed up the process, Rai emphasized the severity of the situation and called for cooperation between the central government, scientific institutes, and the Delhi government.

Global research has looked into cloud seeding, a process that involves releasing chemicals into the atmosphere to create rainfall, as a way to combat pollution. In light of the ongoing air quality catastrophe that has engulfed the nation's capital, Rai's suggestion highlights the increasing urgency to find creative solutions.

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