Cloud Seeding Trials Begin Over Delhi Skies to Induce Rainfall; Two Rounds Conducted by IIT Kanpur Team
Low Moisture Levels May Limit Rain Despite Delhi’s First Cloud Seeding Experiments, Say Experts
New Delhi: Rain from cloud was experimented today as trials – to create rainfall – was completed over parts of Delhi this afternoon. However, given the low moisture content in the clouds – 15 to 20 per cent – the chances of rain are expected to be low.
In this regard the Delhi government had signed a MOU with the Indian Institute of Technology (Kanpur) in September to carry out five trials, all of which are planned over northwest Delhi, at a cost of Rs 3.21 crore.
The five can take place any time between October 1 and November 30.
IIT (Kanpur) said it seeded a corridor roughly 25 nautical miles (46.3 km) long and four nautical miles (7.4 km) wide, with the largest distance covered between the neighborhoods of Khekra and Burari. The first round involved six flares released at an altitude of 4,000 feet. The second took off at 3.55 pm and deploying eight flares at a slightly higher altitude, around 5000 feet.(PNS)
