Copyright republicworld
New Delhi: The much-anticipated cloud seeding in Delhi began today after the aircraft designated for the mission departed from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The first trial took place in North Karol Bagh and Mayur Vihar, and the second trial is expected to begin soon. The aircraft, which was stationed in Kanpur, took off after favourable weather conditions were confirmed.Earlier during the day, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa had said that if the aircraft departed as planned, the cloud seeding in Delhi could be conducted between 12:30 pm and 1 pm. However, low visibility led to a slight delay in the operations. Anticipating this, Sirsa had in the morning said, “Right now, the visibility in Kanpur is 2,000 metres. Visibility of 5,000 metres is being awaited there. Visibility is low in Delhi too…"Cloud seeding is a scientific method used to induce artificial rainfall by dispersing substances such as silver iodide or salt-based compounds into moisture-rich clouds. These particles help small droplets combine to form larger ones, triggering rainfall. The technique is often used to mitigate drought, boost water reserves or reduce air pollution.Last week, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta emphasised the importance of cloud seeding, calling it a crucial and innovative measure to combat the city’s recurring environmental problems.Following Diwali, Delhi and its surrounding regions have continued to record poor air quality. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in several parts of Delhi-NCR remains in the 'poor' to 'very poor' categories, with Stage-2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) still in force.According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s AQI was recorded at 306 at 8 am on Tuesday, which is classified as ‘very poor’.
