Min Gopal Rai writes to Centre for urgent meeting on cloud seeding

NEW DELHI: In light of the deteriorating air quality in the national Capital, Delhi's Environment minister Gopal Rai has formally written to the Union Environment minister, urging the immediate convening of an all-stakeholder meeting to discuss the implementation of cloud seeding as a potential emergency measure to combat pollution.

This letter follows previous communications dated August 30 and October 10, where Rai expressed concerns about Delhi's air quality, particularly during the winter months and around the Diwali festival.

In his letter, Rai emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, "As on date, the AQI has already crossed the 350 level and GRAP II has been evoked." He pointed out that the alarming rise in pollution levels has necessitated the immediate action outlined in the Delhi government's Winter Action Plan, which came into effect on September 25, 2024. The plan aims to mitigate air pollution and involves a range of strategies, but Rai highlighted that "continuous efforts to explore alternate solutions for immediate relief" are crucial in the event of severe air quality degradation.