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Artificial rain in Delhi: Why cloud seeding trials have been put on hold
The trials also led to a political slugfest, as the AAP targeted the BJP over the failure to create artificial rain.
The cloud seeding trials aimed at inducing artificial rain have been put on hold in Delhi after two attempts failed to produce any precipitation in the city on Tuesday.
The trials, conducted in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, also led to a political slugfest, as the AAP targeted the BJP over the failure to induce artificial rain.
IIT Kanpur director Manindra Agrawal admitted that the trials to bring rainfall to the national capital were unsuccessful, but added that they provided “key insights”. Meanwhile, the attempts have been put on hold for now, and Delhi’s environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the trials would be conducted again in the coming days.
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Why cloud seeding trials have been put on hold
Simply put, the trials were put on hold due to the low moisture content in clouds. In a statement, IIT Kanpur said the cloud seeding process is highly dependent on suitable atmospheric conditions.
“While rainfall could not be triggered yesterday because moisture levels were around 15 to 20 per cent, the trial delivered valuable insights,” it said.
The institute said that monitoring stations placed across Delhi recorded real-time changes in particulate matter and moisture levels. The data showed a 6 to 10 per cent drop in PM2.5 and PM10 levels, suggesting that cloud seeding can help improve air quality even when moisture is limited.
"These observations strengthen our planning for future operations and allow us to better identify conditions where this intervention can deliver maximum benefit. Such learnings form the foundation for more effective deployments ahead," the statement read.
When will the next trials be conducted?
Sirsa said the next trial of cloud seeding in Delhi would be carried out after moisture levels increase beyond the current 10 to 15 per cent.
"According to the IMD, there is still 10 to 15 per cent moisture. Yesterday, our trial was conducted at 10 to 15 per cent moisture, and now the next trial will be held when the moisture exceeds that level. As per IMD, the moisture is expected to increase further after 4:00 PM. Once the moisture report arrives, the next trial will begin immediately," he told ANI.
