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Delhi Attempts Cloud Seeding to Combat Persistent Air Pollution
New Delhi, India – In an effort to combat the city’s notorious air pollution, the Delhi government, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, conducted two cloud seeding trials over parts of northwest Delhi on Tuesday. The initiative is part of a Rs 3.21 crore project that will see five such trials carried out between October and November.
Cloud seeding, which involves introducing chemicals like silver iodide or dry ice into the atmosphere to stimulate rainfall, is being explored as a means to wash away pollutants.
However, according to NDTV’s Science Editor, Pallava Bagla, the success of these initial trials is uncertain due to low moisture content in the clouds (15-20%).
Delhi struggles with high pollution levels year-round, exacerbated during the winter months by weather conditions and smoke from agricultural fires. Despite a 77.5% drop in farm fires compared to previous years, post-Diwali air quality reached a five-year low, with PM2.5 levels reaching nearly 100 times the WHO’s recommended exposure limit. Average PM2.5 levels reached shocking averages of 488 micrograms per cubic metre
The city’s air pollution crisis is severe, with a recent report estimating that it reduces the average citizen’s life expectancy by nearly 12 years compared to WHO guidelines. As of Wednesday morning, many areas of Delhi continued to experience AQI readings above 300. The cloud seeding efforts represent one attempt to mitigate this ongoing crisis.
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