News – Mission Green Delhi

Cloud Seeding: Can Artificial Rain Help Clear Delhi’s Toxic Air?

Puneet Verma News October 29, 2025October 29, 2025Cloud Seeding 0 Comment

Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique used to induce or enhance rainfall by dispersing substances into the air that serve as cloud condensation or ice nuclei. These substances (like silver iodide, sodium chloride, or potassium iodide) encourage water droplets in clouds to cluster together and fall as rain.

How Cloud Seeding Works:

Aerial Spraying: Aircraft or drones release the seeding agents into suitable clouds.
Condensation: The agents attract tiny water droplets or ice crystals.
Rainfall Formation: These droplets merge, grow heavier, and eventually fall as rain.

Impact on Pollution in Delhi:

Delhi faces severe air pollution, especially during winter, due to factors like stubble burning, vehicular emissions, and weather stagnation. Cloud seeding can help temporarily by:

Washing Out Pollutants: Rainfall helps remove dust, PM2.5, PM10, and smoke particles from the air, significantly improving Air Quality Index (AQI) for a few days.
Reducing Smog: Rain breaks down smog layers, improving visibility and reducing respiratory distress.
Short-Term Relief: The effect usually lasts a few days to a week—until pollutants accumulate again.
Boosting Water Resources: In the long term, it can help replenish groundwater levels and support agriculture.

Limitations & Concerns:

Weather dependency: It only works if suitable clouds already exist.
Temporary solution: It doesn’t tackle the root causes of pollution (emissions, waste burning, etc.).
Environmental questions: Use of certain chemicals like silver iodide needs to be regulated to prevent soil and water contamination.

Cloud seeding can provide short-term relief from pollution in Delhi by cleansing the air and improving visibility. However, it should be treated as an emergency or supplementary measure, not a permanent solution. Long-term improvements require tackling emission sources, promoting clean energy, and sustainable urban planning.

What is GRAP 4?

Puneet Verma News November 26, 2024November 26, 2024delhi pollution, Grap 4 0 Comment

GRAP 4 refers to Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), a set of emergency measures implemented in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) to combat severe air pollution during winter months. GRAP was devised by the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) and later managed by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to tackle varying levels of pollution effectively.

What is GRAP 4?

GRAP 4 is the highest level of alert under the plan, activated when air quality deteriorates to the ‘Severe+’ (Emergency) category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeding 450.
This stage indicates that the air quality is hazardous for all groups, posing significant health risks.

Key Measures Under GRAP 4

To reduce emissions immediately and protect public health, the following steps are enforced:

Industrial Restrictions:
- Complete ban on non-essential industrial operations in pollution-intensive sectors using non-clean fuels.
- Closure of brick kilns, hot mix plants, and stone crushers.
Construction and Demolition Ban:
- Halt on all construction and demolition activities across NCR, with strict monitoring.
- Exceptions are provided only for public interest projects, like hospitals or metro construction.
Vehicular Restrictions:
- Entry of diesel trucks into Delhi is stopped, except for essential services.
- Ban on diesel vehicles, especially older BS-III and BS-IV models, unless they meet stringent norms.
Schools and Offices:
- Schools may be closed, and outdoor activities curtailed to protect children.
- Advisory for work-from-home to reduce vehicular emissions.
Public Transport Promotion:
- Deployment of additional buses and metro trains to encourage the use of public transport.
- Carpooling and shared mobility options are promoted.
Waste Burning Prohibition:
- Strict ban on open waste burning, with penalties for violations.
Thermal Plant Regulations:
- Temporary closure of coal-based thermal power plants in and around Delhi.

Impact and Challenges

While GRAP 4 measures are effective in providing temporary relief, they often serve as reactive solutions rather than addressing long-term causes like stubble burning, vehicular pollution, and industrial emissions.
Implementation challenges, such as monitoring violations and ensuring public compliance, reduce its efficacy.

Why GRAP 4 is Important?

GRAP 4 is a critical response to Delhi’s recurrent air pollution crisis, aiming to prevent further degradation of air quality and safeguard public health during the most hazardous periods. However, its success depends on coordinated efforts between authorities, industries, and citizens.

SMAM: A Key Solution to Combat Stubble Burning and Promote Sustainable Farming

Puneet Verma Agriculture, News November 12, 2024 0 Comment

The Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) is an essential initiative in the fight against stubble burning, a common practice among farmers in states like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Stubble burning, often carried out to clear fields quickly after the rice harvest, causes severe air pollution, especially during the winter months, leading to smog and health hazards. SMAM addresses this issue by providing farmers with access to modern machinery that helps manage crop residue efficiently without the need for burning. Machines like the Happy Seeder, Super Straw Management System, and Paddy Straw Chopper allow farmers to chop and incorporate stubble into the soil or sow the next crop without removing the residue, thus reducing the need for burning.

By offering financial assistance and subsidies, SMAM helps farmers, especially small and marginal ones, acquire these machines or access them through Custom Hiring Centers (CHCs) at affordable rates. These centers allow farmers to rent the equipment they need without the high upfront costs, making it easier to adopt sustainable farming practices. Through these efforts, SMAM provides an eco-friendly alternative to stubble burning, improving soil health, reducing air pollution, and fostering more sustainable agricultural practices across the country.

The initiative, though still facing challenges in widespread adoption, holds the potential to significantly reduce the environmental and health impacts of stubble burning, benefiting both farmers and the broader community.

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