Manindra Agrawal, the director of IIT Kanpur, addressed the recent cloud seeding trials conducted over Delhi, which did not succeed in generating rain. During a press briefing, he acknowledged that while the trials did not meet their intended goals, they provided valuable insights for future endeavors in cloud seeding.
Agrawal explained that the data collected from 15 monitoring stations across the city indicated a reduction of 6 to 10 percent in the concentrations of PM 2.5 and PM 10. He noted that this finding demonstrates that even with minimal moisture present in the clouds, the seeding process can still have some effect, albeit not as significant as desired. “This shows that even with a very small or low level of moisture in the cloud, when we do the seeding, it does result in some impact,” he stated, emphasizing the importance of these results for future planning.
Reflecting on the conditions during the trial, Agrawal mentioned that the cloud moisture was around 15 percent, which severely limited the chances of inducing rain. Consequently, he remarked that the lack of success was not unexpected given the low moisture levels. The cloud seeding operation involved two aircraft launched from IIT Kanpur and Meerut, which targeted areas including Khekra, Burari, North Karol Bagh, Mayur Vihar, and others. Each aircraft released approximately 0.5 kg of a specially designed mixture aimed at enhancing precipitation potential.
When discussing the costs associated with cloud seeding, Agrawal pointed out that the term “experiment” inherently includes the possibility of failure. He expressed that avoiding experimentation due to fear of failure would hinder progress. Furthermore, he clarified that the expenses related to cloud seeding are relatively minor compared to the overall spending on pollution control in Delhi. The estimated cost for seeding a 300 square kilometer area is around 60 lakh rupees, translating to about 20 thousand rupees per square kilometer. If implemented throughout the winter, total costs could reach 25 to 30 crore rupees, which is substantially less than the current pollution control expenditures.
Looking ahead, a planned cloud seeding event for October 29, 2025, has been postponed due to inadequate moisture levels, highlighting the necessity for appropriate atmospheric conditions for the procedure. Earlier, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa noted that this initiative marks a significant, science-based approach to combat air pollution in the national capital.
