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Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Tuesday said that a cloud-seeding operation to induce artificial rainfall in the national capital is likely to take place today depending on favourable weather conditions in Kanpur where the aircraft designated for the operation is currently stationed. While speaking to news agency ANI Sirsa stated that the current visibility in Kanpur is around 2000 metres while a minimum of 5000 metres is required for the aircraft to take off safely. Furthermore he added that if conditions improve and the aircraft successfully takes off cloud seeding over Delhi could be carried out between 12:30 pm and 1 pm. Regarding cloud seeding as soon as the weather clears up in Kanpur our aircraft will take off from there today. If it succeeds in taking off from there cloud seeding will be done in Delhi today. Through that cloud seeding there will be rainfall in Delhi. Right now the visibility in Kanpur is 2000 metres. Visibility of 5000 metres is being awaited there. Visibility is low in Delhi too. We hope that this will be possible by 12.30-1 pm. Then it will take off from there do cloud seeding here and return Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa stated. What is Cloud Seeding? Cloud Seeding is the process of inducing rainfall or snowfall in regions experiencing drought or low precipitation by dispersing materials such as silver iodide dry ice and other chemicals into clouds or to suppress hail and fog. Cloud seeding can take place from the ground or aircraft and can use rockets to disperse the materials. IIT Kanpur has developed a formulation that includes silver iodide nanoparticles and compatible mixtures of iodized salt and rock salt designed to serve both as agents to enhance cloud condensation and the efficiency of rainfall.
