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."
"The extent of artificial rain and its likely impact on reduction of pollution in Delhi can't be quantified precisely without actually carrying out the experiment. It has, however, been generally observed that rainfall results in lowering of the concentration of the pollutants in the atmosphere," Sharma said.
The Union environment ministry had earlier said it was waiting for "appropriate" level and density of clouds, and a clearance from the IMD to induce artificial rain through cloud seeding in Delhi, even though experts had argued that the process was not a long-term solution to the air pollution problem.
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