Delhi can’t afford costly cloud-seeding gamble
The Tribune Editorial: Science thrives on trial and error, but in Delhi’s case, both seem buried under political theatrics.
DELHI’s grand experiment to make artificial rain has ended — not with a splash, but a sputter. The Rs 3.20-crore cloud-seeding drive, meant to wash away the capital’s toxic smog, failed to bring even a drizzle. The skies stayed dry and so did Delhi’s hopes. The much-hyped exercise, projected as an innovative pollution fix, quickly turned into a political slugfest between the AAP and the ruling BJP. Science thrives on trial and error, but in Delhi’s case, both seem buried under political theatrics. Cloud seeding works only under precise conditions — adequate moisture, dense clouds and stable wind patterns. Countries like China, Thailand and the UAE have succeeded because they chose their moments well. Delhi, with its dry skies and low humidity, ignored that reality. Without adequate humidity or cloud density, silver iodide flares cannot trigger rain. That limitation was known well in advance, yet the government pressed ahead, seemingly more interested in optics than outcomes.
