Delhi Govt, IIT-Kanpur ink pact to fight air pollution

The Delhi Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, to carry out pilot cloud seeding trials in northwest Delhi, aimed at mitigating air pollution.

The agreement was signed on Thursday at the Delhi Secretariat in the presence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

The initial trial is set to take place on October 7-9.

In total, five trials are planned over October and November, with further operations to be determined based on the results of these. The project’s estimated cost is Rs 3.2 crore.

The Chief Minister said: “Today’s MoU will pave way for a two-month cloud seeding trial, which will be carried out on suitable days in October and November using aircraft. The findings will help us decide the way forward. This initiative will prove historical and beneficial for Delhi.” She added that the government was taking action on “every possible front” to reduce pollution, including promoting electric mobility and curbing smog emissions.

Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said: “We will first evaluate the outcome of the initial attempt and then decide on the subsequent ones.” He added that all required permissions were obtained from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday, following clearances from 13 other agencies.

The cloud seeding operations will use a Cessna aircraft flying from the Hindon airbase under the supervision of trained pilots. IIT-Kanpur will work in coordination with experts from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Meteorological data such as cloud type, altitude, wind conditions, and dew point will be monitored in real time to guide the flights.

Air quality during the trials will be assessed using continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) to track PM2.5 and PM10 levels.

The trials aim to reduce airborne dust and smog particles during the winters to prevent the Air Quality Index (AQI) from entering dangerous levels. Sirsa said the project would serve as a demonstration of cloud seeding technology and help design long-term air pollution control strategies.

The trials will follow strict safety and environmental guidelines, and media personnel will not be allowed during the operations.

The trials were initially scheduled for early July but were delayed due to the monsoon. After consultation with meteorological experts and in view of current weather patterns, the trial window was revised multiple times before finalising October 7–9.

The DGCA has authorised operations from October 1 to November 30 under visual flight rules, using a Cessna 206-H aircraft operated by IIT-Kanpur’s Department of Aerospace Engineering, with all necessary state and local approvals in place.

What is cloud seeding?

Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique aimed at enhancing rainfall or snowfall. The process involves releasing substances such as silver iodide or dry ice into clouds to stimulate precipitation.