Artificial Rain Solution To Delhi's Worsening Air Quality? Here's What Kanpur-IIT's Solution Entails

According to the scientists, cloud seeding could only be attempted if there were clouds or moisture in the atmosphere.

New Delhi: Amid worsening air quality in Delhi, Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday said that the city government will attempt to induce artificial rain through cloud seeding to combat air pollution.

He said that a proposal in this regard will be submitted to the Supreme Court soon.

As of 8 pm on Wednesday, the air quality index (AQI) in Delhi stood at a 'severe' level of 457.

Rai held a meeting with the IIT Kanpur team exploring the opportunity of cloud seeding to cause artificial rain. According to the scientists, cloud seeding could only be attempted if there were clouds or moisture in the atmosphere.

“Experts anticipate that such conditions could develop around November 20-21. We have asked the scientists to prepare a proposal in this regard which will be submitted to the Supreme Court,” the minister added.

What Is Artificial Rain And Cloud Seeding?

The idea of "artificial rain" was proposed by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur and this project has been in development since 2018. In July this year, the institute successfully conducted trials to produce artificial rain through cloud seeding, as reported by the Hindustan Times. 

Cloud seeding is a man-made way of increasing rainfall by introducing certain chemicals into clouds.

Seeding agents like silver iodide, potassium iodide, or calcium chloride, which can act as ice nuclei, are spread over the clouds using airplanes and helicopters to trigger rain.

As per Desert Research Institute, "Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique that improves a cloud’s ability to produce rain or snow by introducing tiny ice nuclei into certain types of subfreezing clouds. These nuclei provide a base for snowflakes to form. After cloud seeding takes place, the newly formed snowflakes quickly grow and fall from the clouds back to the surface of the Earth, increasing snowpack and streamflow."

Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of the India Meteorological Department, told PTI that research is being conducted globally on artificial rain.

“Certain nuclei are sprinkled into the clouds to facilitate cloud condensation, leading to rainfall. In India, research on artificial rain is ongoing, but it has not made significant progress so far,” Mohapatra said.

According to the Hindustan Times, the researchers have also secured the necessary permissions from government authorities, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), to carry out the technique.