Context

• While hearing the petition filed in the Supreme Court in connection with the massive fire in the forests of Uttarakhand, the court said that immediate action should be taken by the State to protect the forests, wildlife and birds of the area from the devastating effects of forest fires.
• Extinguishing massive forest fires should not depend on cloud seeding or rain. To deal with this problem, the authorities will have to take preventive measures.
• It is noteworthy that the impact of this massive forest fire is visible on the entire ecosystem.

State government's arguments during the hearing

• The state government informed the top court about the steps taken to control forest fires and said that "only 0.1% of the wildlife area in the state was on fire due to such incidents."
• Since November last year, there have been 398 such incidents caused by human activities, resulting in five deaths.

Impact On Wildfire

• Loss of biodiversity
• Increase in pollution problem
• Decrease in soil fertility
• Increase in emissions of gases that contribute to global warming
• Imbalance in the food chain
• Economic loss

About Cloud Seeding

• Cloud seeding is the process of spraying dry ice or, more commonly, silver iodide aerosol into the upper part of clouds to induce precipitation by stimulating the precipitation process.
• Cloud seeding involves spreading small particles along the flow of clouds using aircraft. Small particles absorb moisture from the air and by condensation its mass increases. Due to this, heavy drops of water are formed and it rains.

Cloud Seeding Methods

• Hygroscopic cloud seeding
• Static Cloud Seeding
• Dynamic Cloud Seeding

Application

• Cloud seeding is used to increase winter snowfall which can ensure natural water supplies for communities in surrounding areas.
• Cloud seeding can also be done to prevent hailstorm, eliminate fog, provide rainfall in drought-hit areas and control air pollution.
• Apart from this, it is also used to extinguish forest fires.

Challenges

• Cloud seeding requires the presence of moist clouds, which are not always available or predictable.
• Cloud seeding cannot occur at times when excess rainfall could cause problems, such as during high flood risk.
• The possibility of changes in the natural water cycle increases.
• Soil and water become contaminated with chemicals.
• The local climate is affected.

Important Facts For Exam

Supreme Court

• Judges are appointed under Article 124 of the Constitution.
• Every judge of the Supreme Court is appointed by the President.

Uttarakhand

• Capital: Dehradun
• Chief minister: Pushkar Singh Dhami
• Governor: Gurmeet Singh