The environmental situation in Delhi, the capital of India, has worsened again - air pollution has reached a level "dangerous to health." This was reported by The Indian Express.
Local residents have difficulty breathing, and many children and the elderly complain of respiratory diseases. The air is filled with fog and dust, and visibility on the city streets has sharply decreased. The mass burning of firecrackers, especially during the "Diwali" holiday, has further increased the level of pollution, the source writes.
Delhi's Prime Minister, Reha Gupta, announced plans to launch a new technology - artificial rain - to mitigate the situation. According to him, preparatory work for cloud fertilization has been completed, and test flights have also been carried out.
"We are looking for innovative ways to improve air quality. With the help of artificial rain technology, it will be possible to lower harmful particles in the air. If weather conditions allow, we will conduct the first full test on October 28-30," Gupta said.
According to reports, the first experimental flight took place between the Kakra and Burari regions and lasted four hours. In this process, silver iodide and sodium chloride were sprayed onto clouds using aircraft. These substances intensify the condensation of water droplets, forming larger droplets and causing precipitation.
Meanwhile, Minister of Ecology Mandjinder Singh Sirsa explained that natural clouds in the sky are necessary for the technology to be implemented. "It's impossible to fertilize without clouds. "First of all, clouds must form, and only then will it be possible to recall precipitation," he said.
The technology of artificial rain (cloud seeding) was first tested in the USA in 1946. It was subsequently widely used in Australia, China, and the UAE, and was recognized as an effective method for air purification and combating drought.
The Delhi government aims to use this technology not only to purify the air but also to protect public health, improve the environment, and restore the ecological balance.
The test results have not yet been released, but experts say that if the process is successful, it could temporarily alleviate India's biggest environmental problem.
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