Delhi’s Rs 1 crore cloud seeding fails; Rs 30 crore needed to bring artificial winter rain

The Delhi government’s latest bid to induce artificial rain to fight winter pollution has failed to produce results, despite spending over Rs 1 crore on three cloud seeding trials with IIT Kanpur.

Trials conducted on October 23 and 28 brought no measurable rainfall, as experts cited low moisture levels (10–15%), far below the 50–60% humidity needed for success.

IIT Kanpur estimates that full-scale cloud seeding over the entire winter could cost Rs 25–30 crore, an amount critics call excessive for a measure that offers, at best, one or two days of pollution relief, reports India Today.

Environmentalists and scientists have questioned the scientific validity and cost-effectiveness of cloud seeding, urging the government to focus instead on long-term solutions such as curbing stubble burning, industrial emissions, and vehicular pollution.

Failed attempts

The Delhi government, in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, carried out three cloud seeding trials (on October 23 and twice on October 28) to induce artificial rain.

None of the trials produced significant rainfall, disappointing hopes of reducing air pollution.

High costs

Each trial costs around Rs 35–40 lakh, with Rs 1.07 crore already spent on three failed attempts.

IIT Kanpur estimated that full-scale cloud seeding over the entire winter season could cost Rs 25–30 crore.

The Delhi government’s pollution-control budget stands at about Rs 300 crore, making this a costly short-term measure.

Reasons for failure

Experts say insufficient moisture in winter clouds doomed the effort — humidity was only 10–15%, while 50–60% is required for rain.

Winter in Delhi is typically too dry for cloud seeding to work, with rain mainly coming from rare western disturbances.

Expensive setup

Cloud seeding requires specialized aircraft (none currently available in India), silver iodide flares, and costly instruments such as radiometers, sensors, and condensation nuclei, adding up to over ₹5 crore in equipment costs alone.

Aircraft maintenance, pilot fees, and logistics push costs even higher.

Low success rate

Globally and in India, cloud seeding has shown limited success and lacks strong scientific validation.

Previous attempts in Delhi (1957, 1972) and Andhra Pradesh (2004–2009) also yielded poor results despite huge spending.

Experts question justification

Environmentalists call the project an “expensive spectacle”, saying it offers only 1–2 days of relief from pollution at best.

Former officials and scientists argue that scientific protocols should guide such decisions, not political optics.

Not a long-term solution

Experts stress that artificial rain is no substitute for tackling root causes — stubble burning, vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, and construction dust.

Real progress, they say, requires sustained, structural measures rather than costly experiments.