Artificial rain in Delhi? BJP government provides major update on pollution amid ‘very poor’ AQI; Environment minister says…
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has said that artificial rain can be done through cloud seeding only if there are clouds.
Delhi pollution update: In a significant update amid the rising AQI and worsening pollution in Delhi, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has shared an update on the Rekha Gupta-led BJP government’s plan for artificial rain through cloud seeding. In his recent statement, Sirsa compared the rise in air pollution to that of previous years when there was a complete ban on firecrackers. Moreover, the BJP minister said that artificial rain can be conducted in the national capital only if clouds are present.
What Delhi Environment Minister said on artificial rain?
“For those who are asking us, why are we not getting cloud seeding done. I want to tell them that in cloud seeding, the cloud comes first and then comes seeding. Seeding can only be done when there are clouds. The day there will be clouds, we will get seeding done and there will be rain as well,” Sirsa said during a press conference.
For those unversed, Delhi woke up to a thick smog on Tuesday morning, as the air quality deteriorated to the ‘Very Poor’ category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 351 as of 4 pm today.
What Delhi Environment Minister said on Diwali pollution?
“In 2020, the firecrackers in Diwali were going on. At that time, PM 2.5 was 414 before Diwali and 435 after Diwali. There was an increase of 21 points in the firecrackers. In 2021, there was an increase of 80 points. In 2024, when the firecrackers were banned, the AQI was 328 before Diwali and 360 after Diwali. 32 points increased when the firecrackers were banned. On the order of the Supreme Court and on the request of the Delhi government, we got permission for green firecrackers… Before Diwali, the AQI was 345, and after Diwali, the AQI was 356, according to the CPCB’s Sameer App… Only 11 points increased when the firecrackers were allowed,” he said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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