Delhi To See Its First-Ever Artificial Rain To Combat Air Pollution In July
New Delhi:
In a first for the national capital, Delhi is set to witness artificial rain aimed at reducing air pollution, with cloud seeding scheduled between July 4 and 11, subject to weather conditions, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Saturday.
The flight plan for the seeding operation has been submitted by IIT Kanpur to IMD Pune for technical coordination, Sirsa told PTI.
"Conditions are not suitable for cloud seeding until July 3, but a flight window has been proposed between July 4 and 11," Sirsa said.
He added that a proposal has also been sent to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), requesting an alternative window in case the weather remains unfavourable during the scheduled period so that the trial can be conducted at a later date.
"This initiative marks a historic step in urban pollution control and is being carried out for the first time by the Environment Department under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's leadership," Sirsa said.
"Our aim is to give Delhiites clean air," he emphasised, asserting that it's the most basic right of every resident, and the government is exploring every possible solution to achieve it.
"That's why we're taking this bold step of artificial rain. We are hopeful it will bring meaningful change," he added.
In response to the accusations from AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj on Friday, who claimed that the BJP and the Centre hindered the city's pollution-control efforts and mocked the proposal for artificial rain during peak winter pollution, Sirsa clarified, "We were the ones who signed the MoU first, made all the payments to IIT Kanpur, and applied for the necessary approvals because we want to take real action." "They didn't do anything except talk about artificial rain. We, on the other hand, have worked sincerely. That's why, within just four months of forming the government, we are at the stage of finalising the date for Delhi's first artificial rain," he added.
The project, titled 'Technology Demonstration and Evaluation of Cloud Seeding as an Alternative for Delhi NCR Pollution Mitigation,' will involve five aircraft sorties over low-security air zones in northwest and outer Delhi.
Each sortie, lasting around 90 minutes, will cover approximately 100 square kilometres, dispersing a scientifically formulated seeding mixture using flare-based systems on modified Cessna aircraft.
The formulation, developed by IIT Kanpur, includes silver iodide nanoparticles, iodised salt, and rock salt, designed to catalyse artificial rain by accelerating droplet formation in moisture-rich clouds.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Print
an hour ago
- The Print
Cong MP denies adoption of 3-language policy under previous MVA govt
'We are not against the Hindi language, but we will not tolerate its forced imposition on Maharashtra,' Gaikwad said. The former state school education minister also refuted claims that the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, in which Congress was an ally, had accepted the three-language formula under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Mumbai, Jun 29 (PTI) Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad on Sunday accused the BJP-led Maharashtra government of launching a false propaganda campaign to undermine public resistance against its alleged 'anti-Marathi' agenda and push for the imposition of Hindi. The government's move to introduce Hindi from Class 1 has faced stiff resistance from opposition parties. The row erupted after the government recently issued an amended order stating Hindi will 'generally' be taught as the third language to students in Marathi and English medium schools from Classes 1 to 5. According to the order, if 20 students per grade in a school wish to study any other Indian language, they can opt out of Hindi. If such a demand arises, either a teacher will be appointed, or the language will be taught online. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has asked his party workers to burn the government resolution (GR) on Hindi language in state schools on Sunday, a day before the Maharashtra legislature's monsoon session is set to begin. Maharashtra minister Uday Samant on Friday said the policy of making Hindi compulsory from Class 1 in the state schools was approved during Uddhav Thackeray's tenure as the chief minister under the MVA government. 'As Maharashtra unites against the BJP's Hindi agenda, the ruling party and its allies are spreading deliberate misinformation and citing false references to break this unity and suppress the rising voices,' Gaikwad alleged in a statement. She refuted claims that the previous MVA government had accepted the three-language formula under the NEP 2020. 'The Dr Raghunath Mashelkar Committee being cited was not appointed by the School Education Department. It was meant to examine NEP provisions related to the Higher and Technical Education Department, not school education,' Gaikwad said. 'It is unfortunate that the then Higher and Technical Education Minister Uday Samant is now contributing to this confusion,' she added. Gaikwad said during her tenure as school education minister, several aspects of the NEP were found to be against Maharashtra's interests. 'Accordingly, various study groups were formed under the Commissioner of Education to assess policy impacts on school education. A government resolution (GR) to this effect was issued on June 24, 2022,' she said. Rejecting allegations that the MVA government accepted the three-language formula, Gaikwad said, 'This is completely untrue. This government is resorting to falsehoods to deflect from its own decisions.' Gaikwad, who was the school education minister in the MVA government, said, 'We passed the legislation making Marathi compulsory in all schools, across all mediums, boards and managements, at least up to Class 8.' A GR was issued on June 1, 2020, and a committee was formed for its implementation on September 30, 2020, she said. Gaikwad also said the school education department had allotted land at Charni Road in Mumbai for a proposed Marathi Bhavan, a cultural centre for the promotion of Marathi. 'That project too has been stalled by this government,' the Mumbai Congress chief claimed. 'There's a limit to how fast and far one can lie. The BJP is working systematically to weaken the Marathi language in its own homeland,' she alleged. Gaikwad further criticised the state's unconditional acceptance of the NEP. 'Despite our warnings, the Shinde government (previous Mahayuti dispensation) bowed to Delhi and signed a written agreement accepting the NEP as it is, just to receive funds under the PM-Shri scheme. The state is now facing the consequences,' she claimed. She held former school education minister Deepak Kesarkar, current minister Dada Bhuse, and both the past and present Mahayuti chief ministers responsible for it. 'To cover up their (BJP-led Mahayuti government's) fabrications, this rumor is now being deliberately spread that the school education department had adopted the trilingual formula during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. However, this is clearly false,' Gaikwad claimed. The Dr Raghunath Mashelkar Committee, that is being referred to, was not appointed by the school education department, so where does the question of accepting it arise, she asked. PTI MR GK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Print
an hour ago
- The Print
MP govt takes action against 8 engineers over bridge with 90-degree turn
The newly built ROB in Aishbagh area of the city has become a subject of criticism and ridicule with local residents and netizens questioning its design and wondering how vehicles would negotiate the sharp 90-degree turn. The construction agency and design consultant have been blacklisted, and a committee has been formed to make necessary improvements in the rail over-bridge (ROB), Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said in a post on X on Saturday evening. Bhopal, Jun 29 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh government has suspended seven PWD engineers and ordered a departmental probe against a retired superintendent engineer for the 'faulty design' of a new rail over-bridge in Bhopal having an unusual 90-degree turn. 'I took cognizance of the serious negligence in the construction of Aishbagh ROB and ordered an inquiry. On the basis of the inquiry report, action has been taken against eight PWD engineers,' CM Yadav said. Seven engineers, including two chief engineers, were suspended with immediate effect while a departmental inquiry will be conducted against a retired superintendent engineer, he said. 'The ROB will be inaugurated only after improvements are made,' the chief minister added. The persons against whom action was taken for the alleged faulty design are chief engineers Sanjay Khande and G P Verma, in-charge executive engineer Javed Shakeel, in-charge sub-divisional officer Ravi Shukla, sub-engineer Umashankar Mishra, assistant engineer Shanul Saxena, in-charge executive engineer Shabana Rajjaq, and retired superintendent engineer M P Singh, said Public Works Department (PWD) additional chief secretary Neeraj Mandloi. The government also blacklisted architect firm M/s Puneet Chaddha and design consultant M/s Dynamic Consultant, he said. The ROB, built at a cost of Rs 18 crore, was aimed at improving the connectivity between Mahamai Ka Bagh, Pushpa Nagar and the station area with New Bhopal, benefiting some three lakh people. Last week, the PWD formed a committee to find a solution in order to ensure safe movement of vehicles on the bridge. Officials associated with the construction argued that they had no other option but to build the bridge this way given the paucity of land and presence of a metro rail station nearby. If a little extra land is made available, the 90-degree sharp turn can be converted into a curve, the officials had said. PTI MAS KRK GK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
11-day Mysuru Dasara this year to give cultural tribute to Gandhi on his Jayanti
With this year's Mysuru Dasara concluding on October 2 - the same day as Gandhi Jayanti - Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has asked that the festival pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi's values. Speaking after a key planning meeting at Vidhana Soudha on Saturday, he stressed that the festivities should meaningfully blend cultural heritage with Gandhian principles, news agency PTI reported. The grand Jumboo Savari at the Mysuru Dasara celebrations.(Shreyas Devanoor) 'This year Dasara is falling on Gandhi Jayanti on October 2. So I have instructed officials that Dasara should be celebrated in a manner that makes Gandhi Jayanti meaningful,' Siddaramaiah said, calling on officials to design the tableaux not only to showcase government welfare programmes but also embody Gandhi's message of truth, peace, and service. This years Dasara celebrations will begin on September 22 and culminate with the Jamboo Savari on October 2, making it an 11-day event instead of the usual 10, the CM said. The 2025 edition of Mysuru Dasara should maintain its historical and cultural dignity without slipping into extravagance, he added. While ₹ 40 crore had been earmarked for last year's Dasara, Siddaramaiah assured that sufficient funding will be allocated again to ensure the event lives up to its reputation. He urged all departments to curate exhibitions and installations that resonate with citizens, highlighting public welfare schemes, guarantee programmes, and the broader vision of inclusive governance. Anticipating over a million visitors, including international tourists, the Chief Minister issued clear instructions for robust crowd control and safety protocols. Police personnel, should engage with the public respectfully while maintaining law and order, he added. In a move to avoid congestion during the Jamboo Savari procession, the number of seats in front of the iconic Mysore Palace will be trimmed. Siddaramaiah also directed officials to ensure smooth movement and prevent overcrowding across all venues during the festival. (With inputs from PTI)
