Amid worsening air quality, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday wrote to the Centre, seeking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention for artificial rain in the national capital in an effort to combat the worsening air pollution levels in the national capital.

Addressing a press conference, the Environment Minister said that layers of smog have covered North India, and artificial rain is the only solution to get rid of smog. He added that this is a medical emergency. The AAP Minister further stated that PM Modi should intervene, and that it is his moral responsibility to act. He continued that the Centre should take steps to control pollution.

His remarks come as the city remains the most polluted in the country today, with a thick layer of smog blanketing the national capital. Reportedly, the Air Quality Index spiked to an alarming 494 under the ‘severe plus’ category. Despite the implementation of the strictest Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) IV restrictions in the national capital, multiple air monitoring stations touched the 500 mark.

Gopal Rai also slammed Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav, saying the latter has not called a single meeting on artificial rain despite his four letters sent in August, September, October and today. He asserted that PM Modi should ask his Environment Minister to convene a meeting on artificial rain. He added that the Prime Minister should either give a solution or a clear path for artificial rains. If the Centre government cannot act, their minister should resign, he continued.

Speaking on measures taken by the Delhi government, Gopal Rai said that they have banned BS-III petrol four wheelers and BS-IV diesel vehicles. He added that all trucks and diesel buses coming from outside have been banned. He continued that schools have been closed for classes 10 and 12 as well, and timings have been staggered for offices. He further mentioned that they are working to take decisions about work from home. 

Environment Minister Gopal Rai’s letter to the Centre seeking a nod for artificial rain came a day after the Supreme Court directed authorities in Delhi NCR not to lift the Stage 4 pollution curbs under GRAP even if the AQI fell below the 450 mark. The top court flagged a delay in the implementation of stricter measures to check air pollution.

Artificial rain involves the dispersion of substances such as silver iodide, potassium iodide, and dry ice into the atmosphere to stimulate the formation of rain or snow. The process typically takes about half an hour to generate rain.

Earlier in November 2023 as well, the Delhi government moved the Supreme Court to discuss the possibility of inducing artificial rain through cloud seeding to bring down the AQI levels in the city.

However, the top court asked the AAP government to instead approach the Centre and seek permission for the implementation.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised The Sabarmati Report film, stating that it exposes the truth behind the fateful episode to broad daylight. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised the film.

Speaking about the film, Amit Shah said that the ecosystem cannot keep the truth at bay forever no matter how hard it tries. He added that no matter how hard a powerful ecosystem tries, it cannot keep the truth hidden in darkness forever. The Union Home Minister continued that the film The Sabarmati Report defies the ecosystem with unparalleled courage and exposes the truth behind the fateful episode to broad daylight.

The film portrays the horrific incident of the February 27, 2002 incident when 59 people, including 10 children, were burnt to death in a train by a mob at Godhra in Gujarat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is also currently on a three-nation visit, endorsed the film on Sunday stating that fake narrative regarding things can last for a short time and the facts have come out through this film.

PM Modi further tweeted that the film is well said, adding it is good that this truth is coming out, and that too in a way common people can see it. He also said that a fake narrative can persist only for a limited period of time, and eventually, the facts will always come out.

Notably, Narendra Modi was sworn in as the chief minister of Gujarat in 2001 and it was not even a year since when on February 27, 2002, four compartments with the S6 bogey of a train carrying Karsevaks who were returning from a religious event in Ayodhya were set on fire.

Reportedly, the train was running from Bihar’s Muzaffarpur to Gujarat’s Ahmedabad. Several eyewitness accounts revealed that as the train departed Godhra, emergency brakes were pulled and mobs attacked the train from outside and set the bogey on fire, claiming the lives of 59 people.

At present, the incident is widely termed as the trigger for the 2002 Godhra riots. Though there have been several films made on the riots, The Sabarmati Report seems to be the first such film that attempts to portray the painful episode in which 59 human lives were burnt to smoke.

Delhi former Transport Minister and one of the ruling AAP’s senior most leaders, Kailash Gahlot joined the rivals BJP in the presence of Union Minister ML Khattar and Harsh Malhotra. Union Minister ML Khattar described Kailash Gahlot’s induction as a turning point, especially before the February election.

After joining BJP, Kailash Gahlot said that this was not an easy step for him as he was a part of the AAP since the time of Anna Hazare, the anti-corruption activist whose popular movement birthed the AAP, and that he has worked for Delhi throughout as MLA and minister.

He clarified  that he did not take any decision under pressure, adding that some may think that this is an overnight decision or due to pressure. He also rejected speculations that the move was the result of pressure from federal investigative agencies.

Slamming AAP,  he stated that there is a narrative that he switched due to Central Bureau of Investigation or Enforcement Directorate pressure, adding that since 2015, as an AAP member, as MLA, and as Minister he has never done anything due to pressure. He noted that the fact is AAP compromised its values, adding that the party’s political ambitions had overtaken its commitment to the people. Gahlot attributed his resignation decision to the dwindling credibility of AAP on several issues.

This switch by Gahlot, who was incharge of portfolios of Home, Administrative Reforms, IT and Women and Child Development, comes at a time when the party is gearing up for the Delhi Assembly election slated to be held in February next year.

Notably, he is the third member of the Kejriwal cabinet to have quit the party and the ministerial portfolio. Earlier in April, Raaj Kumar Anand, the minister in charge of social welfare and labour and employment, quit the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 

Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal has maintained silence on the resignation so far. At an event Sunday he declined to answer questions on Kailash Gahlot, passing the microphone to senior leader Durgesh Pathak instead.