Delhi Plans Cloud Seeding To Tackle Post-Diwali Smog, Experts Doubt Its Timing
Delhi plans cloud seeding to combat post-Diwali pollution, despite skepticism from meteorologists.
New Delhi, Oct 28 — In a renewed effort to curb toxic air pollution following Diwali, the Delhi government has announced plans to conduct a cloud seeding experiment in the national capital. The move, aimed at triggering artificial rainfall to wash away pollutants, comes as air quality levels across Delhi-NCR continue to plunge despite the implementation of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage 2 restrictions.
Officials said the project, earlier postponed due to unfavorable cloud conditions, will proceed as soon as suitable weather patterns emerge. However, meteorologists and climate experts have expressed skepticism, arguing that the post-monsoon season offers limited potential for successful rainfall generation.
A senior scientist at the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) explained that the cloud seeding could only work when there are moisture-laden clouds, which are rare between October and December. He said that it was a dry period with stagnant weather systems, so the chances of inducing rain were extremely low, as per a report on Mathrubhumi.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta described the initiative as a “pioneering step” to address Delhi’s chronic smog problem, which worsens each year due to firecracker emissions, stubble burning, and calm atmospheric conditions.
What Is Cloud Seeding?
Cloud seeding is a weather modification method that involves dispersing compounds such as silver iodide or sodium chloride into clouds, often through aircraft-mounted flares.
These particles act as nuclei around which water droplets condense, potentially increasing rainfall.
Concerns Over Timing & Feasibility
Experts warn that the absence of adequate cloud cover could make the exercise futile. The MoES has reportedly cautioned the Delhi government that it may have been “misguided” about the viability of conducting cloud seeding during this dry spell.
Between 2009 and 2019, the MoES’s Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX) in southern India demonstrated rainfall increases of up to 46%—but only under favorable monsoon conditions with abundant humidity and cloud presence.
Given the current dry atmospheric conditions over Delhi, experts say the upcoming experiment is unlikely to achieve meaningful results. Nonetheless, officials maintain that even a marginal improvement in air quality could offer temporary relief to residents struggling with post-festival pollution.
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