Authorities in India's capital New Delhi have planned to use artificial rain for the first time as the country's air pollution shows no signs of abating.
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| People travel on the streets of New Delhi. (Source: AP) |
Faced with severe air pollution, the New Delhi government has ordered the closure of all schools, halted construction activities and announced that it would impose restrictions on vehicles.
Earlier, on November 8, Mr. Gopal Rai, head of the New Delhi city environment agency, said that local authorities will try to create artificial rain through cloud seeding in November in an effort to combat air pollution in the city.
The plan involves dropping salt or silver iodide into clouds from aircraft to promote rain formation.
Indian scientists hope the resulting rainfall will help remove pollution from the air. The Delhi government is also awaiting approval from national agencies and hopes to complete the project this week.
The plan comes after air quality in northern India reached alarming levels.
New Delhi's air quality index has consistently hit 400 in November, a level considered life-threatening, according to Swiss air quality group IQAir.
The government of the capital New Delhi has announced the closure of all public and private schools from November 9-18 for winter break earlier than originally scheduled for November 11.
Air quality in New Delhi typically worsens every year ahead of winter, when cold air traps pollutants from sources such as vehicles, industry, construction dust and agricultural waste burning.
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