India, Oct. 16 -- Delhi government is "fully prepared" to carry out cloud seeding in the Capital to induce artificial rain in a bid to reduce air pollution around Diwali, environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Wednesday. Four days of trial flights have already been conducted over the target area in northwest Delhi, and the project is now awaiting a final go-ahead from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

"Our aircraft is ready at Meerut. The pilots have familiarised themselves with the flight path. We're only waiting for IMD's green signal and the right cloud conditions. If all goes well, the first trial could happen even on the day-after Diwali or the following day, if conditions are suitable," Sirsa said.

The Delhi C...