Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 21: As Delhi’s air quality plummeted to ‘very poor’ levels following Diwali celebrations, the Rekha Gupta-led Delhi government is preparing to conduct its first artificial rain operation through cloud seeding later this week.

According to government sources, the meteorological department is expected to give a green signal between October 24 and 26, with conditions likely to favour the long-awaited experiment. The initiative, a key part of the government’s clean-air promise, was delayed earlier due to unsuitable weather and will now take place after Diwali.

Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa confirmed that preparations for the operation are complete. “The entire setup is ready — from permissions to pilot training. The aircraft are fitted with cloud-seeding equipment, and trial flights have already been conducted over target areas. We are now waiting for IMD’s approval,” he said.

Initially scheduled for July, the cloud seeding plan faced setbacks due to monsoon disruptions and changing atmospheric conditions. The government hopes the operation will help reduce pollution levels and provide temporary relief to residents battling toxic air.

Delhi woke up on Tuesday under a heavy grey haze, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 359 — classified as ‘very poor’ — following widespread bursting of firecrackers despite Supreme Court restrictions. Of the 38 monitoring stations across the city, 35 recorded air quality in the ‘red zone’.

The Supreme Court had allowed only green crackers to be used for two hours — between 8 pm and 10 pm — but residents in several areas reportedly defied the order, bursting fireworks late into the night.

With pollution levels projected to worsen further on Wednesday, officials say artificial rain may offer much-needed respite, at least temporarily, from the smog choking the national capital.