Delhi artificial rain highlights: Cloud seeding trials helped reduce particulate matter, says govt report

Cloud-seeding trials helped in the reduction of particulate matter at locations it was carried out, an official report by the government said. The report added that two precipitation events were recorded in Noida and Greater Noida after the trials.

Moisture content predicted by the India Meteorological Department was low at 10-15 per cent, which is not ideal for cloud seeing, PTI quoted the official Delhi government report as saying.

Delhi has conducted an artificial rain experiment after a gap of 53 years to ease the Capital's pollution crisis, PTI reported. The first such trial was conducted in 1957 during monsoon, and the second attempt took place in the winter of the early 1970s, climate scientist Roxy Mathew Koll from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, told PTI.

Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that the cloud-seeding trial on Tuesday was the third overall. “Two cloud seeding trials were conducted in Delhi today, this was the third overall. The first took off from Kanpur this morning, and the second from Meerut,” Sirsa told PTI.

Sirsa further said that Tuesday's trial covered areas in outer Delhi, and called it a “historic trial.”

Delhi Minister Sirsa said in the afternoon that artificial rain was expected within 15 minutes to four hours after the cloud-seeding trial was conducted. The expected time for artificial rain in Delhi is before 7 pm.

Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that the areas covered are Khekra, Burari, North Karol Bagh, and Mayur Vihar. He further explained that eight flares, each weighing between 2 and 2.5 kilograms, were used during the process.

The Delhi Cabinet on May 7 approved a proposal to conduct five cloud seeding trials at a total cost of ₹3.21 crore. The Delhi government signed a memorandum of understanding with IIT Kanpur on September 25 to carry out five cloud seeding trials, all of which are planned in northwest Delhi.

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta expressed hope that the second trial of the cloud seeding exercise carried out in the national capital would help reduce pollution levels. “This is an experiment. Let's see what comes of it. If the experiment is successful, I believe a solution that will be very important for Delhiites will emerge,” she said.

It is expected that Delhi will witness artificial rain before 7 pm today, minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said in a video statement. Meanwhile, a flight has departed to conduct the second cloud seeding trial over parts of the national capital.

A flight has departed to conduct today's second cloud seeding trial, and the third overall, in parts of Delhi. Meanwhile, artificial rain is expected before 7 pm.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI in Delhi stood at 304 as of 1 pm on Tuesday, classified as the 'very poor' category. Among the city's monitoring stations, Anand Vihar reported an AQI of 311, RK Puram 316, Siri Fort 347, Bawana 334, Burari Crossing 319, Dwarka Sector 8 311, Mundka 318, Narela 302 and Punjabi Bagh 313, all categorised as 'very poor'.

Delhi is likely to witness artificial rain before 7 pm after cloud seeding trial was conducted over parts of the national capital today.

The government had conducted a test flight over Burari last week. During the test run, small quantities of silver iodide and sodium chloride compounds used to trigger artificial rain were released from the aircraft. However, due to low atmospheric moisture of less than 20 per cent, as against the 50 per cent typically required for cloud seeding, rainfall could not be induced.

The second cloud seeding trial is likely to be conducted over parts of Delhi at 5 pm, according to reports. Meanwhile, artificial rain is expected in parts of the region before 7 pm.

Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta said, "We're constantly discussing the issue of artificial rain, as we're taking countless steps to address Delhi's pollution. We've also given cloud seeding a trial, hoping to see if it can solve Delhi's pollution problem. This is an experiment. Let's see what comes of it. If the experiment is successful, I believe a solution that will be very important for Delhiites will emerge…This is new for all of us, as it's the first time in Delhi. But I pray that this trial is successful and that Delhi benefits from it."

The second trial will be conducted later in the day in outer Delhi, Sirsa said, adding that nine to ten trials are planned over the next few days. "This is a huge step taken by the government to mitigate pollution. If trials are successful, we will prepare a long-term plan," Sirsa added.

After the cloud seeding trial was conducted in parts of Delhi, artificial rain is expected within the next few minutes to four hours, minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said in a statement.

On Tuesday, a cloud seeding trial was successfully conducted in the Khekra, Burari, North Karol Bagh, Mayur Vihar, Sadakpur, and Bhojpur regions of Delhi, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said.

A second trial may also be conducted today in parts of Delhi, officials say. Notably, all 5 trials will be conducted in northwest Delhi only.

The flight from Kanpur has conducted cloud seeding successfully, an official told PTI. Showers are expected in the next few hours in parts of the national capital.

The flight will fly through designated areas at the required altitude to release the seeding material. If the conditions are right, rain could start within 20 to 30 minutes of the operation.

Cloud seeding involves artificially generating rainfall by introducing a few particles, such as silver iodide crystals or salt-based compounds, into moisture-laden clouds. Flights are used to disperse these particles, which condense smaller cloud droplets into larger raindrops, possibly leading to precipitation.

Across the world, cloud seeding is carried out in more than 56 countries, including Australia, China, Russia, Thailand, the UAE, and the United States, where it is used for weather modification, rainfall enhancement, and even pollution reduction.