NEW DELHI: The impact of artificial rain on curbing pollution in New Delhi cannot be quantified precisely without actually carrying out the experiment, the government said on Friday. Minister of State (MoS) for Environment Mahesh Sharma told the Lok Sabha that the Project Appraisal and Approval Committee-Environment Protection Charge (PAAC-EPC) had approved IIT Kanpur’s project to induce READFartificial rain in Delhi but the proposed process was yet to be conducted.
The remarks came as a written reply in the House after authorities said they might induce artificial rain by cloud-seeding to wash away pollutants in the air when air quality levels in Delhi reach alarming levels.
“PAAC-EPC 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 lakh plus institute overhead, GST and aircraft related expenses. The proposed experiment has not yet been conducted in Delhi,” he said.
“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 been generally observed rainfall results in lowering of the concentration of the pollutants in the atmosphere,” the MoS said.
The 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 in Delhi.