Delhi conducts cloud seeding trials after 53 years

AFTER A GAP of 53 years, Delhi conducted cloud seeding trials on Tuesday to induce artificial rain in the national capital amid surging pollution levels, even as the weather department did not record any traces of rainfall till evening.

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

The Delhi government, in collaboration with IIT-Kanpur, conducted the trials in parts of Delhi, including Burari, north Karol Bagh, Mayur Vihar, Badli, with more such exercises planned over the next few days, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said.

Environmentalists, however, termed the cloud-seeding triala short-term measure, saying it may temporarily reduce pollution but fails to address the root causes of the capital's deteriorating air quality.

The opposition AAP mocked the exercise, calling it a tactic to “steal Lord Indra’s (rain god's) credit”, even as the BJP hailed the move to tackle the pollution crisis.

The first trial was completed by 2 pm on Tuesday and for the second trial, the flight took off from Meerut around 4 pm and completed the trial in an hour.