Delhi Minister Gopal Rai Urges Meeting for Cloud Seeding to Combat Winter Pollution
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has requested an urgent meeting with Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav and other stakeholders to discuss cloud seeding as a method to combat Delhi’s winter air pollution. Rai emphasized the need for necessary permissions and prior clearances from various agencies.
In a written communication, Rai highlighted the critical air pollution situation in Delhi each November and the importance of evaluating cloud seeding’s feasibility. He has called for a meeting with representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Delhi Government, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), India Meteorological Department (IMD), and other agencies.
In 2023, the Delhi Government considered cloud seeding as an emergency measure during hazardous air quality days and asked IIT Kanpur to prepare a comprehensive presentation. Earlier this month, Rai held a high-level meeting with the Environment Department and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) officials to prepare a winter action plan against air pollution in Delhi.
Rai mentioned that the Delhi government has started preparing a winter action plan, focusing on 14 key points identified during a review meeting with senior officials. A joint action plan meeting with all 33 concerned departments is scheduled for September 5.
Doubts Revealed
Gopal Rai -: Gopal Rai is a politician in India who is currently serving as the Environment Minister of Delhi. He is responsible for looking after the environment-related issues in the city.
Cloud Seeding -: Cloud seeding is a way to make clouds produce rain or snow by adding special chemicals to them. This can help reduce pollution by cleaning the air.
Union Environment Minister -: The Union Environment Minister is a person in the Indian government who looks after the environment for the whole country. Right now, this person is Bhupendra Yadav.
Stakeholders -: Stakeholders are people or groups who have an interest in a particular issue. In this case, they are people who care about or are affected by Delhi’s air pollution.
Permissions and Clearances -: Permissions and clearances are official approvals needed from different government agencies to do something, like cloud seeding.
Winter Action Plan -: A winter action plan is a set of steps or actions that the government plans to take to reduce pollution during the winter season.
