Now, Delhi Plans November Rain To Breathe Easy

Relevance: GS3 – Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Air Pollution, Cloud Seeding, November Rain, Types of Pollution & Pollutants, Impact of Pollution & Degradation, Causes/Sources of Pollution & Degradation, Prevention & Control of Pollution & Degradation, National Environment Agencies, Legislations and Policies, Air quality index

Primary Source: The Hindu

Click here for Daily Current Affairs

Why in the news?

• Delhi is grappling with severe air pollution and is considering artificial rain through cloud seeding as a potential solution.
• The Delhi government will present a detailed proposal to the Supreme Court for approval.

What is Cloud Seeding?

• The cloud seeding initiative refers to the deliberate intervention in the atmospheric processes to induce or enhance precipitation—in this case, rain.
• This technique is often considered as a potential way to reduce air pollution by causing precipitation that can remove pollutants from the air.
• Cloud seeding involves the introduction of substances into the clouds that act as ice nuclei or condensation nuclei, which encourage the formation of ice or water droplets that can grow and eventually fall as precipitation.
• Commonly used substances for cloud seeding include silver iodide, potassium iodide, and liquid propane, which can be dispersed by aircraft or by ground-based generators.
• Cloud seeding has been tried in various parts of the world with mixed results. Its effectiveness depends on the atmospheric conditions and the presence of clouds that are amenable to seeding.

Measures Taken by Delhi Government

1) Artificial Rain through Cloud Seeding

• The Delhi government is exploring the possibility of inducing artificial rain by means of cloud seeding, which is a process that aims to enhance precipitation by dispersing substances into the air that act as cloud condensation or ice nuclei.
• The Delhi government plans to receive a detailed proposal from IIT Kanpur on cloud seeding, which will then be submitted to the Supreme Court of India for approval.
• According to Professor Sachchida Nand Tripathi of IIT Kanpur, they have an aircraft and cloud seeding equipment ready, and their team is monitoring the cloud situation to find the right time for cloud seeding.

2) Odd-Even Vehicle Rationing Scheme

• The Delhi Government is considering implementing the 'odd-even' vehicle rationing scheme, which involves allowing vehicles on the roads based on the last digit of their license plates – odd-numbered plates on one day and even-numbered plates on the next.
• This is intended to reduce the number of vehicles on the road and thus lower vehicular emissions.
• The government will submit two case studies to the Supreme Court, one from the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago and another from the Delhi Technological University, regarding the effectiveness of the odd-even scheme.

3) Seeking Cooperation

• The Delhi Government intends to request cooperation from the central government through the Supreme Court while proposing the plan for cloud seeding.

Short-Term Measures for Combating Pollution Crisis

• Artificial Rain Through Cloud Seeding: This is an emergency measure to quickly reduce particulate matter in the air. It can provide immediate relief, especially during severe pollution days.
• Odd-Even Scheme: Vehicle rationing can lead to an immediate decrease in vehicular emissions.
• Strict Enforcement of Pollution Control Norms: On an immediate basis, enforcing existing laws on industrial emissions, waste burning, and construction dust can mitigate pollution levels.
• Temporary Shutdown of Polluting Industries: Industries contributing to the air pollution may be temporarily shut down or their operations reduced.
• Increasing Public Transportation Usage: Provision of additional public transportation can decrease the number of private vehicles on the road.
• Health Advisories: Issuing health advisories and distributing masks to protect vulnerable populations from immediate harm.

Long-Term Measures for Combating Pollution Crisis

• Establishment of Regulatory Frameworks: Comprehensive policies aimed at consistently managing and reducing pollution sources over time.
• Promotion of Clean Energy: Transitioning to renewable energy sources for power generation and encouraging electric vehicles to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
• Urban Planning: Designing cities to reduce commute times and promote public transportation, walking, and cycling.
• Strengthening Public Transportation: Expanding and improving public transportation options to reduce the number of private vehicles on the roads.
• Green Belts and Urban Forestry: Planting trees and maintaining green spaces to act as natural air filters.
• Waste Management: Improving waste management to prevent burning of waste, which contributes significantly to air pollution.
• Educational Campaigns: Educating the public about the sources of pollution and how to reduce their personal carbon footprint.
• Incentivizing Pollution Control Technologies: Offering incentives for industries to upgrade to cleaner technologies.
• Cross-Border Regional Collaboration: Air pollution is not confined to political boundaries; therefore, collaboration with neighboring regions is crucial to tackle pollution sources like crop burning.
• Monitoring and Research: Investing in better air quality monitoring and research to understand pollution sources and the effectiveness of policies.
• Health Infrastructure: Strengthening healthcare systems to deal with chronic respiratory and other health issues arising from long-term exposure to polluted air.

Conclusion

The Supreme Court criticized the Delhi government's efforts as insufficient and has directed the Delhi government to consider short-term measures to address the pollution crisis immediately. The proposal for artificial rain and studies on the odd-even scheme will be crucial steps for the government to tackle the air pollution problem in Delhi.

(*Click this link to read prelims specific weekly current affairs articles)

FAQs

MCQs

Question: In the context of WHO consider the Air Quality Guidelines, consider the following statements: (UPSC 2022)

1. The 24-hour mean of PM2.5 should not exceed 15 ug/m³ and annual mean of PM 2.5 should not exceed 5 μg/m³.
2. In a year, the highest levels of ozone pollution occur during the periods of inclement weather.
3. PM10 can penetrate the lung barrier and enter the bloodstream.
4. Excessive ozone in the air can trigger asthma.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1, 3 and 4

(b) 1 and 4 only

(c) 2, 3 and 4

(d) 1 and 2 only

Question: Acid rain is caused by the pollution of environment by (UPSC 2013)

(a) Carbon dioxide and nitrogen

(b) Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide

(c) Ozone and carbon dioxide

(d) Nitrous oxide and sulphur dioxide