Cloud seeding

Cloud seeding

• News: Acting on a proposal from scientists of IIT Kanpur, CPCB had planned artificial rains through cloud seeding in the city.
• Facts:
  • Cloud seeding is a weather modification technology to help create rain.
  • It includes injecting chemicals such as silver iodide, dry ice and liquid propane in the clouds.
  • These chemicals reduce the temperature of water vapour molecules, thus helping in precipitation, and provide a platform on which water droplets can coalesce. When they become heavy, they come down as rain.
  • Scientists use aircraft or rockets to inject silver iodide or another substance into the atmosphere to mimic ice nuclei.
• Additional facts:
  • Central Pollution Control Board
    • CPCB, statutory organisation, was constituted in 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
    • Further, CPCB was entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
    • Principal Functions of the CPCB-
      • (i) to promote cleanliness of streams and wells in different areas of the States by prevention, control and abatement of water pollution, and
      • (ii) to improve the quality of air and to prevent, control or abate air pollution in the country.