'Impact of artificial rain on pollution reduction can't be quantified precisely'

The extent of artificial rain and its likely impact on pollution reduction in Delhi cannot be "quantified precisely" without actually carrying out the experiment, the government Friday said.

In a written reply, Minister of State for Environment, Mahesh Sharma told the Lok Sabha that the Project Appraisal and Approval Committee-- Environment Protection Charge had approved IIT Kanpur's project to induce artificial rain in Delhi but the proposed process was yet to be conducted.

The remarks came after authorities said they might induce artificial rain by cloud-seeding to wash away pollutants in the air in the wake of air quality levels in Delhi reached alarming levels.

Cloud seeding is the process of combining different kinds of chemical agents, including silver iodide, dry ice and even table salt, with clouds in an effort to thicken them and increase the chance of rainfall.

"PAAC-EPC (Project Appraisal & Approval Committee - Environment Protection Charge) in its meeting on November 13, 2018 in-principle approved IIT, Kanpur project to induce artificial rain in Delhi at the cost of Rs 20 lakhs plus institute overhead, GST and aircraft related expenses. The proposed experiment has not yet been conducted in Delhi."