The Delhi govt has decided to bear the entire cost of artificial rain to combat hazardous air pollution in the city and directed the chief secretary to present the government's views before the Supreme Court
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 November 20, according to officials.
"In a significant development, the Delhi government has decided to bear the cost of artificial rain that could be made to happen by November 20 if the Centre extends its support to the Delhi government," stated a senior government official.
"The chief secretary has been directed to inform the Supreme Court that the Delhi government has, in principle, agreed, based on the advice of an IIT-Kanpur team, to bear the cost of Phase 1 and Phase 2 pilots (totaling Rs 13 crore) for carrying out artificial rain," the official added.
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.
According to the IIT-Kanpur team, 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.
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 November 20–21, 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.