The recent light showers in Delhi and its vicinity this morning triggered discussions on social media, with speculation arising about whether this precipitation was the anticipated artificial rain mentioned by the Aam Aadmi Party government a day earlier. These rains contributed to a reduction in pollution levels and the dissipation of toxic smog in the national capital, bringing relief to the city’s inhabitants.
New Delhi, which held the unenviable title of the world’s most polluted city until Thursday, witnessed a positive shift in its air quality index (AQI) to 127 early on Friday. This marked a notable improvement from the “hazardous” range of 400-500 observed over the past week.
On various online platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), individuals expressed curiosity about whether the showers were a result of government intervention. Authorities have been engaged in discussions with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) regarding the possibility of inducing artificial rains in Delhi to address pollution.
Delhi’s Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, dismissed these speculations, emphasizing that obtaining several permissions is a prerequisite for implementing artificial rain. He clarified that such a process cannot be executed hastily and mentioned the submission of the proposal to the Supreme Court. Once approval is secured, preparations will be made for potential implementation in the future.
While acknowledging the positive impact of the recent rains on pollution levels, Mr. Rai stated that the government is closely monitoring how long this relief will persist. The AAP leader added that a decision regarding measures such as artificial rains and odd-even vehicle restrictions will be considered after the Diwali festival.
Artificial rain, scientifically known as cloud seeding, involves the introduction of substances into clouds to stimulate precipitation. Common substances like silver iodide or potassium iodide are dispersed into the clouds using aircraft or helicopters in cloud seeding operations aimed at inducing rain.