Delhi Government pushes for cloud seeding ahead of post-Diwali air crisis

In a letter to Bhupendra Yadav, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Delhi Minister Gopal Rai has requested immediate coordination with the Centre for cloud seeding efforts to reduce the Capital’s hazardous air pollution levels during the winter months.

In an earlier communication on August 30, concerns were raised regarding the expected degradation of air quality after Diwali, a period that has historically seen a sharp rise in smog and pollution.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai urged Yadav to immediately convene meetings with all stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and other agencies to issue No-Objection Certificates (NOC). The objective of the meeting would be to expedite the approval process and coordinate efforts to implement cloud seeding in Delhi.

“We have already been delayed by about a month in our efforts to experiment with cloud seeding in Delhi and consider the city’s air quality, which is likely to turn hazardous at the beginning of November,” the letter read.

Cloud seeding, previously considered by the Delhi Government as an emergency measure, was reviewed during a presentation made by IIT-Kanpur in 2023.

The Government of Delhi has focused on various strategies to manage air pollution. However, as the situation worsens each year, cloud seeding is viewed as an innovative and necessary response, provided bureaucratic hurdles can be overcome in time.

Cloud seeding is a method of artificially inducing rain, which involves releasing chemicals into the atmosphere to promote condensation of moisture particles, leading to rainfall.

IIT-Kanpur had last year conducted a successful trial, estimating that generating a cloud cell over an area of one square kilometre would cost approximately Rs 1 lakh. However, given favorable weather conditions, including suitable wind and moisture levels, the formation of a cloud cell could be achieved within a day.

About the method

Cloud seeding is a method of artificially inducing rain which involves releasing chemicals into the atmosphere to promote condensation of moisture particles, leading to rainfall.