- The Delhi government’s Winter Action Plan will likely include measures such as artificial rain, a work-from-home policy, a ban on vehicles in pollution hotspots, and awareness campaigns to change citizens’ behaviour.
- Artificial rain, or cloud seeding, is a weather modification technique that enhances rainfall by dispersing substances like silver iodide or sodium chloride into clouds.
- These agents serve as nuclei for water vapour to condense around, forming larger droplets that eventually fall as rain.
- Seeding agents are delivered via aircraft or ground-based methods to promote droplet formation.
- Warm cloud seeding uses salt, while cold cloud seeding uses silver iodide for ice crystal formation.
- It’s used for drought relief, supporting agriculture, and improving air quality.
- Artificial Rain increases rainfall by 10-30% but depends on existing cloud conditions and has potential environmental concerns.
| GRAP • The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has been followed in Delhi to address air pollution based on its severity. • Delhi has seen an improvement in air quality, with the number of ‘satisfactory’ air quality days rising from 110 in 2016 to 206 in 2023. |
Dig Deeper: Read about various Air Pollution control technologies.
