Cloud-seeding trials successful; AAP ‘jealous’ of BJP govt’s achievements: Sirsa

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Wednesday said the cloud-seeding trials in the national capital were successful and slammed the opposition AAP saying they are “jealous” of the success of the BJP-led government.

The Delhi government conducted two cloud-seeding trials on Tuesday in collaboration with IIT-Kanpur but there was no precipitation in Delhi. Minimal rainfall was recorded in Noida and Greater Noida after the trials.

The trials were conducted in parts of Delhi, including Burari, north Karol Bagh, Mayur Vihar.

Talking about the trials, Sirsa told PTI that the previous government tried to conduct the exercise but they were unsuccessful.

“We reached a stage where we could conduct the exercise. Nine to 10 trials will be conducted and then we will get to know at what moisture content rain can be induced. Once IIT-Kanpur have concrete information on the moisture content needed to induce rain, we will be able to utilise it to have artificial rain in Delhi when needed,” he told PTI Videos.

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Explaining the cost incurred, Sirsa said that Rs 20-25 lakh is spent during one trial and only after nine to 10 such trials, the government will get to know how much rainfall can happen after the exercise.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) questioned the Delhi government’s cloud-seeding exercise, saying no rainfall was recorded despite claims of artificial rain and raising doubts over the feasibility of such experiments in the national capital.

“AAP will obviously raise questions. They were unsuccessful in the last 10 years and ruined Delhi. Now Chhath is being celebrated on the bank of river Yamuna. The river is cleaner. Green crackers were allowed and still the pollution levels are in control. How can they tolerate this?” he asked.

Questioning the AAP, he said a day after Diwali, they were saying why is cloud seeding not being carried out and now when it was done, they are again levelling allegations.

“They are jealous of the work being done in just a span of seven months,” the minister added.

Meanwhile, a cloud-seeding trial scheduled for Wednesday in Delhi was put on hold due to insufficient moisture in the clouds, the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur said in a statement.