India's capital city of Delhi has long struggled with extreme air pollution. The city's air quality index (AQI) often surpasses the extremely severe mark of 500, which is hazardous to human health. The situation worsens during the winter months when neighbouring states burn crop residue (Parali) that combines with Delhi's already deteriorated air quality. In this blog post, we will discuss how artificial rain can help tackle Delhi's pollution woes.
What is Artificial Rain?
Artificial rain, also known as cloud seeding, is a technique that aims to create conditions conducive to controlling excessive pollution in Delhi. It involves spraying chemicals into the atmosphere to encourage cloud condensation, which ultimately leads to rainfall. The process of cloud seeding is not new and has been used in many countries to increase rainfall in drought-prone areas.
How Can Artificial Rain Help Tackle Delhi's Pollution?
Artificial rain can help wash away pollutants and dust with man-made rain, providing a temporary but effective solution for Delhi and its neighbours. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, has been researching artificial rain since 2018 and has recently achieved a significant breakthrough by introducing cloud seeding technology. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has granted the institute permission to use aircraft that are fitted with cloud-seeding devices. A researcher at the institute even asserted that this innovation might provide an immediate fix for the issue.
Is Artificial Rain a Long-Term Solution?
Although it might improve the air quality momentarily, artificial rain is not a permanent fix. The process of cloud seeding is not solely dependent on meteorological conditions; it also requires multiple approvals from various authorities, including the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Special Protection Group (SPG). Since the same authorities are in charge of protecting the Prime Minister, who resides in the capital, these permissions are being closely examined.
Conclusion
Artificial rain can be a useful tool to tackle Delhi's pollution woes. However, it's not a long-term solution. The government needs to take more proactive measures to address the root cause of the problem. These measures could include promoting the use of public transport, encouraging the use of clean energy, and imposing stricter regulations on industries that contribute to air pollution.
