Latest news with #KirodiLalMeena
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Road accident in Dausa, Rajasthan: 7 children among 11 killed as pickup van rams into truck
A pickup van crashed into a parked truck in Rajasthan's Dausa district in the early hours of Wednesday (August 13, 2025), killing 11 people, including seven children, and injuring eight others, police said. The passengers of the pickup vehicle were returning to their village in Uttar Pradesh's Etah after visiting Khatu Shyam and Salasar Balaji temple when the accident occurred on Manoharpur highway around 4 a.m. to 5 a.m., Dausa Superintendent of Police Sagar told PTI. Seven children and four women died in the accident, he said. Also Read | Nearly 27,000 people died in road accidents on National Highway during first six months in 2025: Gadkari Of the 11 killed, seven have been identified as Poorvi (3), Daksh (12), Seema (25), Priyanka (25), Anshu (26), Saurabh (28) and Sheela (35), according to officials. Twenty people were on board the pickup vehicle when it rammed into a stationary truck in the service lane of the highway, the SP said, adding that one of the eight injured is in critical condition. Also Read | India losing 3% of GDP annually due to road accidents: Gadkari Rajasthan CM expresses sorrow Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident. In a post on X in Hindi, the CM said, 'The news of loss of life in a horrific road accident in Dausa is extremely tragic. The district administration has been directed to ensure prompt and proper treatment for the injured. May God grant a place at His divine feet to the departed souls and provide speedy recovery to the injured.' Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and other leaders also expressed sorrow over the incident. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday (August 13, 2025) expressed condolences to the families of the deceased in the road accident in Rajasthan's Dausa. 'Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expresses grief over the road accident in Dausa, Rajasthan. He expresses condolences to the families of the deceased and wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured. Instructions have been given to the officials to coordinate with the officials of the Rajasthan government,' U.P. CMO said in a statement. 'Many accidents happen there': Rajasthan Minister demands Centre's support in reconstructing Dausa mishap spot Rajasthan Minister Kirodi Lal Meena on Wednesday (August 13, 2025) said that many mishaps have happened at that spot in Dausa where a pick-up truck collided with a trailer truck, killing 11 people. Mr. Meena requested the Centre's support in reconstructing the spot. 'Such a big incident is very rare... Many accidents happen at the spot where this accident happened. We demand that the central government give some amount so this place can be reconstructed,' Kirodi Lal Meena told ANI.
NDTV
6 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
Indias First Drone-Based Cloud Seeding Launched In Rajasthan
Jaipur: State Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena on Tuesday launched a pioneering cloud seeding experiment at the Jamwaramgarh Dam area to revive Ramgarh Lake and tackle the region's water crisis. The initiative, using AI-powered drone technology, marks India's first drone-based cloud seeding project. A large crowd gathered to witness the artificial rain demonstration - a blend of science, modern technology, and artificial intelligence. However, the unexpected rush caused network disruptions, forcing the drone into auto-landing mode. Officials said that during the next attempt, crowd control measures and multi-network jammers will be deployed to prevent GPS signal loss. The project, led by a team of scientists in Jaipur, will run as a 60-day pilot mission using the AI platform 'Hydro Trace,' which identifies optimal clouds for seeding through real-time data, satellite imagery, and sensor networks. Drones release safe agents such as sodium chloride into targeted clouds, encouraging moisture particles to merge into raindrops. Meena stressed that the mission's immediate goal is to trigger rainfall, while its long-term benefits include increasing lake water levels, recharging groundwater, improving crop yields, and restoring the ecosystem. 'This technology is safe, meets international standards, and uses agents in minimal quantities that are harmless to humans, animals, and crops,' he said. 'If successful, this model can be extended to other drought-hit regions of the state and country.' Environmental impact studies will also be conducted alongside the project. The minister expressed confidence that the initiative would provide sustainable water solutions for farmers and significantly reduce the effects of drought in the region.
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Rajasthan to carry out India's first drone-based artificial rain trial today: Details of cloud seeding
Rajasthan will on Tuesday carry out India's first drone-based artificial rain experiment, replacing aeroplanes with unmanned aerial vehicles for cloud seeding. Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique that improves a cloud's ability to produce rain. (HT file photo) The pilot project, aimed at inducing rainfall, will be inaugurated by state agriculture minister Kirodi Lal Meena at 2pm near Jaipur's Ramgarh Dam. How will it work? Around 60 drones will take part in the initiative, a joint effort between the Rajasthan agriculture department and GenX AI, a technology firm with bases in the US and Bengaluru. The drones will spray special chemicals into clouds to trigger the formation of water droplets, which could lead to rain. The launch event will also be open for residents to watch. The experiment, originally scheduled for July 31, was deferred due to heavy rain alerts. Since then, scientists have conducted multiple trials in Jaipur to ensure readiness. The project has secured approvals from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the India Meteorological Department, district authorities, and the agriculture department. Last month, while speaking to ANI, Meena said, 'For the first time, artificial rain will be done via drone. For this, American scientists came here, and all the departments related to the environment discussed to decide this... The drones will take a very high altitude, and then this will be done via cloud seeding in Ramgarh Dam.' What is cloud seeding? Cloud seeding is essentially about giving clouds a gentle push to release rain or snow. According to Bloomberg, cloud seeding involves using chemicals, often particles of silver iodide, to trigger the formation of ice crystals or droplets from water that's already present in a cloud but not being efficiently turned into rain. Though the technique has been studied for decades, it remains difficult to predict the additional rainfall that cloud seeding operations can generate, with estimates ranging widely from 0% to 20%. Does it really work? The science is promising, but not magic. Studies suggest cloud seeding can increase rainfall or snowfall by 5–15% under the right conditions. For instance, a major project in Idaho, USA, proved that silver iodide could indeed make super-cooled clouds produce more snow. But it doesn't work if there are no clouds to begin with.
NDTV
7 days ago
- Climate
- NDTV
India's First Drone Cloud Seeding Trial In Rajasthan Today: Know All About It
Rajasthan is set to conduct India's first-ever drone-based artificial rain experiment on Tuesday. Drones, rather than aeroplanes, will be used for cloud seeding, a technique designed to induce rainfall. Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena will officially inaugurate the event at 2 pm near Ramgarh Dam in Jaipur. A First-Of-Its-Kind Trial Around 60 drones will participate in this pilot project, a collaboration between the Rajasthan Agriculture Department and GenX AI, a technology company based in the United States and Bengaluru. The drones will release special chemicals into clouds, encouraging water droplets to form and eventually fall as rain. The launch event at Ramgarh Dam will also be open to locals to witness. Initially scheduled for July 31, the experiment was postponed due to heavy rain warnings. Since then, scientists have been in Jaipur conducting multiple drone trials to ensure it was ready. The project has received approvals from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India Meteorological Department, District Administration, and the Agriculture Department. What Is Cloud Seeding? How It Works Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique that stimulates rainfall by introducing specific chemicals into clouds. Commonly used substances are silver iodide, sodium chloride (table salt), or dry ice. When released into moisture-laden clouds, these particles act as "seeds" around which water droplets gather. As the droplets grow heavier, they eventually fall to the ground as rain. Usually, cloud seeding is carried out using aeroplanes or helicopters that fly into or above clouds to release these substances. For cloud seeding to be effective, the clouds must contain sufficient moisture. Without enough water vapour in the clouds, even the release of these chemicals will not trigger rainfall. Why Use Drones For Cloud Seeding? Drones are more cost-effective and precise than planes, allowing targeted rainmaking over small areas. They can be deployed quickly and repeatedly, making them ideal for localised cloud seeding, especially useful in drought-prone regions like Rajasthan. Potential Benefits For Rajasthan Rajasthan often has monsoon clouds but receives insufficient rainfall, harming agriculture and livelihoods. If successful, drone-based artificial rain can provide timely, targeted rainfall to save crops in dry areas. This experiment could pave the way for advanced climate solutions in arid and semi-arid regions. Cloud Seeding Costs In 2023, an artificial rain attempt at Bhaisunda Dam in Chittorgarh using planes cost around Rs 10 crore, but failed due to insufficient moisture in the clouds. Delhi's first cloud seeding trial, scheduled between August 30 to September 10, is budgeted at Rs 3.21 crore. Modified aircraft will disperse silver iodide nanoparticles, iodised salt, and rock salt into clouds to trigger rain and reduce air pollution.
India Today
7 days ago
- Climate
- India Today
Rajasthan launches first-ever drone cloud seeding experiment for rain. Key details
Rajasthan is rolling out something new today, India's first drone cloud seeding trial near Ramgarh Dam in Jaipur. Starting at 2 pm, Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena will launch a one-of-its-kind pilot where 60 drones release rain-making chemicals into seeding isn't magic, it's a method that helps clouds with enough moisture release rain by injecting particles like silver iodide or salt. Traditionally, aircraft have done this. Today's experiment brings in drones, offering sharper control and quicker pilot is a joint effort between the Rajasthan Agriculture Department and US-Bengaluru firm GenX AI, using AI to steer each drone precisely. It's especially useful for arid areas like Rajasthan that find monsoon clouds but often miss out on rain where it's needed. The event was planned for July 31, but heavy rain warnings pushed it back to today. In the meantime, scientists have been carrying out test runs in Jaipur to get things safety checks are in place, a string of approvals from the Agriculture Department, Meteorological Department, District Administration, and the DGCA have already come through. Locals have been invited to watch this live real hope riding on this test. In 2023, a cloud-seeding effort at Chittorgarh's Bhaisunda Dam cost around Rs 10 crore, but failed because moisture was low. If drones can target just the right clouds, this could be a big win for farmers and drought response in Rajasthan.- Ends
