Government-owned helicopter service Pawan Hans is ready to carry out aerial sprinkling of water over the Capital to reduce pollution, the Delhi government said on Friday, a day after Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain had written to the firm about sprinkling water from helicopters to settle the particulate matter floating in the air.
On Friday, Pawan Hans replied that it had the “capacity to take up such assignments” and suggested setting up a joint working group with the Delhi government in order to formulate a proposal and develop a standard operating procedure for the exercise, which will need specialised equipment. Delhi government officials said they would meet with the firm’s representatives on Saturday.
On Friday, Pawan Hans replied that it had the “capacity to take up such assignments” as it had carried out similar exercises in the past in the form of agriculture spraying and washing insulators of high-tension lines.
The firm added that a comprehensive feasibility study and approvals from the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation, the Airports Authority of India and the defence services were needed.
In October, Mr. Hussain had written to Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan, who said this week that the Delhi government was free to do so if it wanted.