Cloud seeding trials ongoing under IIT Kanpur; details to be shared after study completion: Delhi Minister Sirsa

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Wednesday said cloud seeding trials were ongoing under the supervision of IIT Kanpur and that details regarding their implementation and possible rainfall would be shared once the study was completed and yielded positive results.

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Wednesday said cloud seeding trials were ongoing under the supervision of IIT Kanpur and that details regarding their implementation and possible rainfall would be shared once the study was completed and yielded positive results. Speaking about the cloud seeding initiative, Sirsa said IIT Kanpur was overseeing the operations as part of its ongoing research and that specific details about the trials could be obtained directly from the institute.

"There are multiple aircraft in Kanpur, and thousands in Delhi. Regarding cloud seeding: IIT Kanpur oversees these operations. They conduct ongoing trials as part of their research. You can obtain specific details about their cloud seeding activities—such as when and how they are carried out—directly from IIT Kanpur. As I mentioned, these trials are continuous; they are part of an ongoing study. Once the study yields positive results and reaches completion, we will provide information on how and when cloud seeding will be conducted, and when it might lead to rainfall," said Sirsa. On Delhi's air quality, the minister expressed gratitude for favourable wind conditions, saying stronger winds had helped bring down the Air Quality Index (AQI) after Diwali, when pollution levels typically remain high.

"I am grateful for the winds. Typically, the AQI remains high after Diwali, but this time, stronger winds helped bring it down... The Delhi government is consistently implementing all necessary measures. The people of Delhi have also put up a strong fight; I thank them for their efforts," Sirsa added. Sirsa's remarks come after the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur is studying the feasibility of another cloud-seeding attempt in Delhi to assess whether sufficient moisture is present in the atmosphere, sources at the institute said.

Sources said a final decision on the operation will be taken only after the institute confirms favourable moisture conditions. The aircraft for the operation is ready and will take off from Delhi, they added. Meanwhile, the air quality across the national capital witnessed some relief as Delhi recorded an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 299, in the ‘poor’ category on Wednesday morning, according to the data recorded at 7:00 AM by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Delhi's air quality deteriorated after Diwali celebrations held on Sunday. The persistent pollution is compounded by a drop in temperatures and moderate fog. ( The Delhi governemnt is taking pollution control measures to minimise the impact of the particulate matter by using water sprinklers across the State.

According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, air quality across multiple monitoring stations in Delhi remained critical, with all locations falling into the 'Very Poor' category. Chhawla recorded the highest Air Quality Index (AQI) at 396, followed by Chandni Chowk at 379, DTU at 375, IIT Delhi at 375, North Campus at 374, ITO at 367, Burari Crossing at 362, Pusa at 359, NIH Narela at 352, NSUT Jaffarpur at 351, NSIT Dwarka at 350, CRRI Mathura Road at 348, Punjabi Bagh at 341, JNU at 339, Aya Nagar at 337, Talkatora Garden at 331, Vivek Vihar at 326, Sirifort at 321, Wazirpur at 321, Jahangirpuri at 320, Burari at 315, Badarpur at 312, Mundka at 305, Anand Vihar at 304, Bawana at 304, and R K Puram at 300. (ANI)