Following Diwali, Delhi is experiencing a ‘very poor’ air quality day. In response to the ongoing air pollution crisis, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa outlined the government’s plan for artificial rain via cloud seeding. However, during a press briefing, Sirsa stated that immediate cloud seeding is not possible, emphasizing that the procedure can only be carried out when clouds are available.
Addressing queries about the delay in cloud seeding, the minister commented, “For those asking us, why are we not getting cloud seeding done. I want to tell these illiterate people, they are burning in vengeance and forget everything. In cloud seeding, the cloud comes first and then comes the seeding.” He further elaborated, “So, when the clouds will come, then there will be seeding. The day there are clouds, then there will be seeding done and there will be rain as well.”
These statements come at a time when the air quality in Delhi has reached critical levels, with 29 out of 31 monitoring stations reporting a ‘very poor’ Air Quality Index (AQI). The situation is particularly dire in Bawana, where the AQI recorded was 429, categorized as ‘severe’, according to data from the SAMEER app.