Delhi Sees Two Cloud Seeding Trials, Rain Uncertain

Artificial Rain Attempts

On Tuesday, two cloud seeding trials were conducted over parts of Delhi to stimulate rainfall. However, meteorologists warn that the chances of rain remain low, due to cloud moisture levels at only 15–20%, according to Science Editor Pallava Bagla.

The Cloud Seeding Operation

The Delhi government partnered with IIT Kanpur for the trials, signing an MoU in September for a total of five trials costing Rs 3.21 crore.

·         The seeded corridor spanned 25 nautical miles (46.3 km) long and 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) wide, covering areas including Khekra and Burari.

·         The first trial released six flares at 4,000 feet, and the second deployed eight flares at 5,000 feet.

How Cloud Seeding Works

Cloud seeding involves adding chemicals such as silver iodide nanoparticles, iodised salt, or dry ice into the clouds to encourage rainfall. This method can also help reduce hail and clear fog. Delivery can be via airplanes, rockets, or ground-based machines.

Delhi’s Need for Artificial Rain

Delhi faces severe air pollution, worsened in winters by crop fires in neighboring states and post-Diwali smoke from firecrackers. Despite a Supreme Court relaxation allowing controlled 'green' firecrackers, rules were widely ignored, and pollution levels remained dangerously high.

Current Air Quality Situation

As of Tuesday morning, Delhi recorded AQI readings above 300 in multiple areas:

·         Siri Fort: 350

·         RK Puram: 320

·         Bawana: 336

·         Burari Crossing: 326

·         Dwarka Sector 8: 316

A report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago stated that pollution is reducing life expectancy in Delhi by an average of 11.9 years compared to WHO guidelines.

Post-Diwali Pollution Spike

Even with a 77.5% drop in farm fires, Delhi’s post-Diwali AQI reached a five-year high, with PM2.5 levels averaging 488 µg/m³, almost 100 times WHO limits, representing a 212% increase from pre-Diwali levels.

If you want, I can also make a punchier “quick-read” version for mobile readers with bullet points for AQI, cloud seeding details, and pollution stats. This works well for breaking news formats.