First-ever artificial rain in Delhi likely from July 4 to 11: Environment Minister

The national capital is all set for its first date with artificial rain as a trial of the cloud seeding process has been scheduled between July 4 and 11, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced on Saturday.

“The initiative marks a historic step in controlling urban air pollution. Our aim is to provide Delhiites with clean air. That’s why we’re taking this bold step of inducing artificial rain. We are hopeful that it will bring about a meaningful change,” Mr. Sirsa told mediapersons.

He added that the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, had submitted the plan for a cloud seeding trial to the India Meteorological Department for technical coordination. The premier engineering institute has been tasked with implementing the project by overseeing aircraft deployment, chemical dispersal, scientific modelling, planning, and operational logistics.

The Minister said that weather conditions for the project were found to be unsuitable until July 3, but a window has been identified between July 4 and 11.

The government has sent a proposal to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), requesting an alternative window in case the weather remains unfavourable during the scheduled period so that the trial could be conducted at a later date.

Last year, then Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai (Aam Aadmi Party) wrote multiple letters to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, urging him to fast-track clearances for cloud seeding as an emergency measure to control air pollution. He had claimed that Mr. Yadav did not respond to the letters.

War of words

AAP’s Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned the idea behind conducting cloud seeding trials during the monsoon.

“The weather department had been saying that it might rain anytime. Suddenly, the Delhi government under [Chief Minister] Rekha Gupta makes the announcement about artificial rain. What exactly are you trying to prove by conducting artificial rain during the rainy season?” he said.

The former Health Minister said the trials should have been scheduled for October-November, during which air pollution usually spikes in the city.

Mr. Bharadwaj added, “Is the announcement about helping people, is it about helping someone financially, or has it been done for cheap publicity?”

In response, Mr. Sirsa said, “We were the ones who signed the MoU first, made the payments to IIT, Kanpur, and applied for the necessary approvals because we want to bring about actual change.”

“AAP didn’t do anything except talk about inducing artificial rain. Our government, on the other hand, has worked sincerely. That’s why, within just four months of forming the government, we are at the stage of finalising the date for Delhi’s first artificial rain,” said the Minister.

How it works

Under the project titled ‘Technology Demonstration and Evaluation of Cloud Seeding as an Alternative for Delhi NCR Pollution Mitigation’, through which the Delhi government is looking to combat air pollution and address water scarcity, five aircraft sorties will be made over north-west and outer Delhi. A total of ₹3.21 crore has been earmarked for these trials.

Each sortie, lasting approximately 90 minutes, will cover around 100 square kilometres, dispersing a seeding mixture using flare-based systems on modified Cessna aircraft.

The mixture, developed by the IIT, includes silver iodide nanoparticles, iodised salt, and rock salt, designed to catalyse artificial rain by accelerating droplet formation in moisture-rich clouds.

Much like seeds sprayed on fertile soil, the salts are expected to interact with water droplets in the clouds, make them bigger and heavier so that they will eventually condense as rain.