Delhi Plans Artificial Rain Through Cloud Seeding to Tackle Air Pollution

NEW DELHI:
In a groundbreaking step towards battling the capital’s chronic air pollution, the Delhi government has announced its first-ever cloud seeding operation to induce artificial rain. Scheduled to take place between July 4 and 11, the initiative aims to purify the city’s air by triggering rainfall over select regions.

The announcement was made by Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who revealed that the government has allocated Rs 3.21 crore for the ambitious project. The operation will involve specially modified Cessna aircraft, which will disperse a mixture of silver iodide nanoparticles, iodised salt, and rock salt into the moisture-laden clouds hovering over northwest and outer Delhi. This combination is scientifically designed to stimulate cloud activity and induce precipitation.

This unique initiative, the first of its kind for Delhi, is being executed in collaboration with IIT Kanpur and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Pune. According to officials, the aircraft will carry out five sorties, each lasting 90 minutes, covering an area of around 100 square kilometres per sortie.

Cloud seeding, a technique already adopted in countries such as China, the United States, and the UAE, involves enhancing rainfall by introducing specific particles into the atmosphere to act as condensation nuclei. The success of this method, however, is heavily reliant on the presence of favourable cloud formations. Studies have shown that cloud seeding can potentially increase rainfall by 5 to 15 percent, though actual results vary based on weather conditions and regional dynamics.

For Delhi, the operation is seen as a critical intervention to improve air quality, especially as the capital continues to grapple with high levels of particulate pollution. Officials hope that the induced rainfall will help settle airborne pollutants and provide temporary relief from the smog that often blankets the city.

While India has experimented with cloud seeding in the past, including in drought-prone regions, the success rate has remained mixed. A previous pilot initiative in the country showed only a 3 percent increase in rainfall. However, with technological advancements and coordinated planning, authorities are optimistic about the outcome of the upcoming mission.

As anticipation builds for the July trials, all eyes are now on the skies over Delhi. If successful, the initiative could serve as a model for other pollution-stricken cities across India, blending science and innovation to bring about tangible environmental change.