Delhi's First Cloud Seeding Likely Today If Weather Permits

The Delhi government may conduct its first cloud seeding trial on Tuesday if weather conditions are favourable, an official said.

Speaking to PTI, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that a review meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday to assess the feasibility of carrying out the trial.

"The flight will arrive in Delhi from Kanpur tomorrow. If the weather conditions are favourable, we may conduct the cloud seeding trial. However, everything depends on the weather," the minister said.

The trial, aimed at inducing artificial rain to tackle air pollution in the national capital, is part of the government's broader strategy to mitigate deteriorating air quality during the winter months.

Preparations for Delhi's much-awaited cloud seeding experiment are now completed, with the government conducting a test flight over Burari last week, officials said.

During the test run, small quantities of silver iodide and sodium chloride compounds used to trigger artificial rainfall were released from the aircraft.

Due to low atmospheric moisture of less than 20 per cent, as against the 50 per cent typically required for cloud seeding, rainfall could not be induced.

In its report on the exercise, IIT Kanpur, which is leading the project, said, "This was the trial flight for checking the capabilities for cloud seeding, the readiness and endurance of the aircraft, the capability assessment of the cloud seeding fitments and flares, and coordination among all involved agencies." Last week, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had indicated the possibility of suitable cloud formations between October 28 and 30.

"If conditions remain favourable, Delhi may witness its first artificial rain on October 29," Gupta said in a post on X on Thursday.

The Delhi government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Kanpur on September 25 to carry out five cloud seeding trials, all of which are planned in northwest Delhi.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had earlier granted permission to IIT Kanpur to conduct the trials any time between October 1 and November 30.

Clearances have also been secured from more than ten central and state departments, including the Union Ministries of Environment, Defence and Home; the Uttar Pradesh government; the Airports Authority of India; and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), among others.

The Delhi Cabinet on May 7 had approved a proposal to conduct five cloud seeding trials at a total cost of Rs 3.21 crore.

However, the exercise has faced multiple postponements due to unfavourable weather and monsoon conditions, including deadlines set for May-end, early June, August, September and, most recently, the second week of October.  

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