IIT Kanpur's Cloud Seeding Idea: Lucknow May Witness Artificial Rains To Combat Air Pollution
Lucknow:
Lucknow, the Uttar Pradesh capital might witness artificial rains through cloud seeding by IIT Kanpur to combat air pollution which has reached crisis level. On November 14, the air pollution levels in Lucknow had surged to the highest in the country with the Air Quality Index (AQI) of 484. A few days ago, the Uttar Pradesh government had asked the pioneer science and technology institute to explore the option of artificial rains.
According to an official from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, the institute has got the project on artificial rains from the Uttar Pradesh Council of Science and Technology a few months back and they have got a grant of Rs 15 lakh for this purpose.
"IIT Kanpur got the project on artificial rains from the Uttar Pradesh Council of Science and Technology a few months back. For this, the institute has got a grant of Rs 15 lakh," Officiating Director of IIT Kanpur, Manindra Agrawal told PTI.
The official also told PTI that the institute is ready for the first artificial rain in Uttar Pradesh and only the approval from the Union civil aviation ministry is awaited.
According to 'Encyclopedia of Environmental Issues', Cloud Seeding is the practice of introducing agents into clouds for the purpose of intentionally modifying the weather, because of cloud and atmospheric processes are not completely understood, some doubt exists regarding whether cloud seeding actually works.
But, the official told PTI that the area where artificial rain is needed should have cloud cover. 'It will definitely reduce air pollution levels,'Mr. Agrawal said.
IIT Kanpur's aerospace, civil engineering and industrial management engineering departments are working on this project, Mr. Agrawal added.
The expense of first artificial rains is expected to be relatively higher, but Mr. Agrawal said, frequent usage of the technology will bring down the cost.
After the pollution levels turned country's highest, on November 15, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had held a meeting with officials of various departments to control the air pollution.
Cloud seeding
Cloud seeding, which is relatively inexpensive and easily conducted, has long been the main technique used in weather modification. The seeding of clouds is undertaken for many purposes, including increasing rainfall for agriculture, increasing snowfall for winter recreational areas, dispersal of fog and clouds, and suppression of hail.
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According to an official from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, the institute has got the project on artificial rains from the Uttar Pradesh Council of Science and Technology a few months back and they have got a grant of Rs 15 lakh for this purpose.
"IIT Kanpur got the project on artificial rains from the Uttar Pradesh Council of Science and Technology a few months back. For this, the institute has got a grant of Rs 15 lakh," Officiating Director of IIT Kanpur, Manindra Agrawal told PTI.
The official also told PTI that the institute is ready for the first artificial rain in Uttar Pradesh and only the approval from the Union civil aviation ministry is awaited.
According to 'Encyclopedia of Environmental Issues', Cloud Seeding is the practice of introducing agents into clouds for the purpose of intentionally modifying the weather, because of cloud and atmospheric processes are not completely understood, some doubt exists regarding whether cloud seeding actually works.
But, the official told PTI that the area where artificial rain is needed should have cloud cover. 'It will definitely reduce air pollution levels,'Mr. Agrawal said.
IIT Kanpur's aerospace, civil engineering and industrial management engineering departments are working on this project, Mr. Agrawal added.
The expense of first artificial rains is expected to be relatively higher, but Mr. Agrawal said, frequent usage of the technology will bring down the cost.
After the pollution levels turned country's highest, on November 15, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had held a meeting with officials of various departments to control the air pollution.
Cloud seeding
Cloud seeding, which is relatively inexpensive and easily conducted, has long been the main technique used in weather modification. The seeding of clouds is undertaken for many purposes, including increasing rainfall for agriculture, increasing snowfall for winter recreational areas, dispersal of fog and clouds, and suppression of hail.
Click here for more Education News
