(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Delhi government is likely to conduct its first cloud seeding trial on Tuesday if weather conditions are favourable, an official said.

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa told news agency PTI that a review meeting was scheduled for Tuesday (October 28) to assess the feasibility of carrying out the trial.

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"The flight will arrive in Delhi from Kanpur tomorrow. If the weather conditions are favourable, we may conduct the cloud seeding trial. However, everything depends on the weather," the minister was quoted as saying.

What is cloud seeding?

Cloud seeding is the practice of using aeroplanes to fire salt or other chemicals into clouds to induce rain.

The cloud seeding trial aims at inducing artificial rain to tackle air pollution in Delhi. It is part of the government's broader strategy to mitigate deteriorating air quality during the winter months.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had said last week that cloud seeding has become a necessity for the national capital and termed it a pioneering step in addressing the city's persistent environmental crisis.

Also Read | Delhi: Preparations completed for artificial rains, says CM Rekha Gupta

"Cloud seeding is a necessity for Delhi and is the first experiment of its kind. We want to try it in Delhi to see if it can help us control this very serious environmental problem," Rekha Gupta told ANI.

She added,“So the blessings of the people of Delhi are with the government, and we feel that this will be a successful experiment, and in future, we will be able to overcome these environmental problems.”

Dates likely suitable for cloud seeding in Delhi

Last week, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had indicated the possibility of suitable cloud formations between October 28 and 30.

Also Read | Cloud seeding in Delhi: How it works as city awaits first artificial rain

"According to the weather department, cloudy conditions are expected on October 28, 29, and 30. If the weather remains favourable, Delhi is likely to witness its first artificial rain on October 29," Gupta said in a post on X on Thursday.

Delhi weather today, Oct 28

Delhi is likely to witness a cloudy sky,“with mist/haze during morning hours.”

Light rainfall is also possible.“One or two spells of very light rain/drizzle are likely during early hours/morning,” the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Successful trial

A successful trial of the project was conducted last Thursday in the Burari area, Gupta said in a post on X.

During the test run in Burari, small quantities of silver iodide and sodium chloride compounds used to trigger artificial rainfall were released from the aircraft.

Due to low atmospheric moisture of less than 20 per cent, as against the 50 per cent typically required for cloud seeding, rainfall could not be induced.

In its report on the exercise, IIT Kanpur, which is leading the project, said, "This was the trial flight for checking the capabilities for cloud seeding, the readiness and endurance of the aircraft, the capability assessment of the cloud seeding fitments and flares, and coordination among all involved agencies."

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA had earlier granted permission to IIT Kanpur to conduct the trials any time between October 1 and November 30.

The Delhi government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Kanpur on September 25 to conduct five cloud seeding trials, all of which are planned for northwest Delhi.

Officials said that preparations for Delhi's much-awaited cloud seeding experiment are now completed, with the government conducting a test flight over Burari last week.

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