Delhi Launches Pioneering Cloud Seeding Trial to Combat Air Pollution

Delhi is set to trial cloud seeding in early September to initiate artificial rain and reduce air pollution. The postponed project aligns with the retreating monsoon for optimal cloud conditions. IIT-Kanpur leads the Rs 3.21 crore project with approved aircraft ready for operation, aiming for enhanced air quality.

The city of Delhi is gearing up for its inaugural cloud seeding experiment scheduled for the initial weeks of September, aiming to provoke artificial rainfall to lower air pollution levels, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced on Friday.

Initially slated for early July, the trials faced deferral following assessments from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), IIT-Kanpur, and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, which revealed unfavorable weather conditions for effective cloud seeding during that period. The revised schedule now aligns with the retreating monsoon, providing ideal cloud formations for the task.

The Delhi government has designated Rs 3.21 crore for this experimental initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Aerospace Engineering at IIT-Kanpur. With the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granting necessary operational clearance, the data-equipped aircraft will conduct multiple sorties over specific pollution-vulnerable zones in north Delhi and adjoining areas like Loni and Baghpat to test this innovative approach against air pollution.