Cloud seeding after 53 yrs: Delhi govt, IIT-Kanpur turn to 'artificial rain' to clear air; third such trial since 1957

In a bid to curb Delhi's air pollution crisis, the Delhi government conducted a cloud seeding trial in collaboration with IIT-Kanpur on Tuesday afternoon.The trial was aimed at inducing artificial rain to help settle dust and pollutants as Delhi’s AQI remained in the ‘very poor’ category.

However, the results are still yet to be collated.Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the Cessna aircraft took off from Kanpur, released eight fire flares, and covered areas such as Burari, north Karol Bagh, and Mayur Vihar before landing at the Meerut airfield. “The trial lasted for about half an hour. More such trials are planned over the next few days,” Sirsa said, PTI reported.

Third such experiment since 1957

This is the third such experiment since 1957 and was carried out after a gap of 53 years from the second experiemennt.Climate scientist Roxy Mathew Koll of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, told PTI that the first cloud seeding experiment in Delhi was conducted during the monsoon of 1957, and the second in the early 1970s.The 1971–72 trial, carried out from the National Physical Laboratory campus, covered a 25-km radius over central Delhi and used silver iodide particles released from ground-based generators to encourage rainfall.

An IITM report noted that seeding was conducted on 11 days between December 1971 and March 1972, with 11 additional days kept as controls. Preliminary data showed an increase in rainfall on the seeded days, suggesting the potential effectiveness of artificial rain under suitable weather conditions.Since then, cloud seeding research in India has expanded. Under the Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX) programme, IITM has studied clouds and rainfall patterns across the country.

During CAIPEEX Phase IV (2017–2019) in Solapur, Maharashtra, scientists studied 276 clouds and found that hygroscopic seeding used in warm clouds increased rainfall by up to 46% in some areas and by an average of 18% over 100 sq km.

What is cloud seeding?

Cloud seeding involves dispersing cloud-forming particles such as silver iodide or salts into clouds to enhance precipitation. The technique, used in over 50 countries, including China, the US, Russia, and Australia, is deployed for weather modification, rainfall enhancement, and pollution mitigation.The Delhi project, cleared by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and other departments, aims to evaluate whether artificial rain can be used as a short-term measure to reduce pollution during the winter in the coming years. The Delhi Cabinet had approved the plan on May 7, allocating Rs 3.21 crore for five trials, reported PTI.