Explainer: Can artificial rain fix Delhi air?
For experts, the experiment lacks rationale in absence of cutting emissions at the source
Updated At : 06:23 AM Oct 12, 2025 IST
Globally, cloud seeding has been used since the 1940s, primarily to address droughts and water shortages in arid regions. Istock
THE Delhi government was set to conduct cloud seeding trials from October 7 to 11 to tackle the city’s persistent air pollution, but the experiment was postponed due to unfavourable weather conditions. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the trial could be conducted “any day” once the India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirms a clear-weather window. The project, backed by IIT-Kanpur, involves dispersing silver iodide and salts into clouds to induce rainfall artificially. The idea is that the rain would wash pollutants from the atmosphere, particularly particulate matter, offering temporary relief to residents during the winter smog season.
