Despite high hopes and a hefty budget, Delhi’s much-publicised cloud seeding experiment seems to have gone dry, quite literally. The capital witnessed little to no rainfall after three trial runs, leaving experts questioning whether this costly attempt was worth it at all.
Why Delhi’s Rs 3.2-Crore Cloud Seeding Drive Failed to Bring Rain
According to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Delhi environment department and IIT-Kanpur, the total cost of cloud seeding across five trials stands at Rs 3.2 crore, which means each run costs about Rs 64 lakh. Three such trials were conducted in North Delhi, yet none produced any significant rainfall.
The aim was to trigger artificial rain to wash away pollutants and improve Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI), which has been oscillating between the ‘very poor’ and ‘poor’ categories over the last few days. But the city’s skies remained dry, proving that even science can struggle against nature’s unpredictability.
“Temporary and Unsustainable,” Say Environmental Experts
Experts told TOI that cloud seeding is not a long-term solution but a costly, short-lived intervention. Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director (Research and Advocacy) at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, “The city has not yet recorded any substantial rainfall after cloud seeding. Even if rains occur and wash out pollutants, the pollution will bounce back quickly. The impact lasts from hours to a couple of days.”
She further added that investing in such short-term measures diverts focus from tackling the root causes of pollution. “It cannot be done regularly for the entire winter season. Such investments need to target actual emission reduction from sources on the ground for sustained air quality improvement to protect public health,” Roychowdhury told TOI.
Lack of Moisture in Delhi’s Air a Major Factor, Say Scientists
Shahzad Gani, Assistant Professor at the Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, IIT Delhi, explained that Delhi’s winter weather is usually too dry for effective cloud seeding. “In the winter season, the weather in Delhi is typically very dry, with very little moisture in the air. The only time it rains is when a western disturbance influences the plains,” he said.
He also warned about the unpredictability of artificial weather interventions. “If an intense spell of rain occurs during the cloud seeding process, causing heavy rain or damage, even if unrelated to cloud seeding, who takes responsibility for it?” Gani asked. He stressed that the focus should instead be on reducing emissions through systemic measures rather than relying on “silver-bullet” technologies like smog towers or smog guns.
“Cosmetic Measures Won’t Clean Delhi’s Air,” Say Analysts
Sunil Dahiya, Founder and Lead Analyst at the think tank EnviroCatalysts, told TOI that Delhi’s fight against air pollution requires tackling emissions at their source, not through expensive temporary fixes. “Addressing air quality requires tackling sector-specific emissions from transport, power and construction. Without that, no real impact can be achieved. Cosmetic measures may create short-term visibility benefits but are not sustainable solutions,” he said.
He further emphasised the need for an “airshed-based approach”, a coordinated effort involving neighbouring states and agencies to control pollution collectively rather than city by city.
A Costly Experiment Chasing What Nature Was Already Ready to Deliver
Environmental activist Bhavreen Kandhari pointed out that Delhi’s atmosphere already had enough moisture due to a western disturbance, which naturally brings rain.
“Cloud seeding can only enhance rainfall when the atmosphere is moisture-deficient and conditions are marginal for precipitation. The skies were already rich with moisture, and a western disturbance was forecast to bring natural rain,” she said.
Under such conditions, Kandhari noted, “Cloud seeding adds little scientific value; it becomes a costly experiment chasing what nature is already prepared to deliver.” She concluded that clean air will come not from artificial rain but from consistent emission control, dust management, and responsible policymaking.
What Delhi needs for clean air
While cloud seeding may sound futuristic, experts agree that Delhi’s real challenge lies on the ground, not in the clouds. With rising construction dust, vehicle emissions, and industrial output, the city’s air quality cannot be fixed by one-off interventions. Sustainable improvement, they say, requires strict enforcement of pollution control norms, regional cooperation, and long-term policy action.
Delhi’s Rs 3.2-crore cloud seeding experiment may have missed the rain, but it has certainly sparked a larger debate, whether India’s capital is chasing short-term optics over long-term environmental healing.
Inputs from TOI
Why Delhi’s Rs 3.2-Crore Cloud Seeding Drive Failed to Bring Rain
According to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Delhi environment department and IIT-Kanpur, the total cost of cloud seeding across five trials stands at Rs 3.2 crore, which means each run costs about Rs 64 lakh. Three such trials were conducted in North Delhi, yet none produced any significant rainfall.
The aim was to trigger artificial rain to wash away pollutants and improve Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI), which has been oscillating between the ‘very poor’ and ‘poor’ categories over the last few days. But the city’s skies remained dry, proving that even science can struggle against nature’s unpredictability.
“Temporary and Unsustainable,” Say Environmental Experts
Experts told TOI that cloud seeding is not a long-term solution but a costly, short-lived intervention. Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director (Research and Advocacy) at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, “The city has not yet recorded any substantial rainfall after cloud seeding. Even if rains occur and wash out pollutants, the pollution will bounce back quickly. The impact lasts from hours to a couple of days.”
She further added that investing in such short-term measures diverts focus from tackling the root causes of pollution. “It cannot be done regularly for the entire winter season. Such investments need to target actual emission reduction from sources on the ground for sustained air quality improvement to protect public health,” Roychowdhury told TOI.
Lack of Moisture in Delhi’s Air a Major Factor, Say Scientists
Shahzad Gani, Assistant Professor at the Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, IIT Delhi, explained that Delhi’s winter weather is usually too dry for effective cloud seeding. “In the winter season, the weather in Delhi is typically very dry, with very little moisture in the air. The only time it rains is when a western disturbance influences the plains,” he said.
He also warned about the unpredictability of artificial weather interventions. “If an intense spell of rain occurs during the cloud seeding process, causing heavy rain or damage, even if unrelated to cloud seeding, who takes responsibility for it?” Gani asked. He stressed that the focus should instead be on reducing emissions through systemic measures rather than relying on “silver-bullet” technologies like smog towers or smog guns.
“Cosmetic Measures Won’t Clean Delhi’s Air,” Say Analysts
Sunil Dahiya, Founder and Lead Analyst at the think tank EnviroCatalysts, told TOI that Delhi’s fight against air pollution requires tackling emissions at their source, not through expensive temporary fixes. “Addressing air quality requires tackling sector-specific emissions from transport, power and construction. Without that, no real impact can be achieved. Cosmetic measures may create short-term visibility benefits but are not sustainable solutions,” he said.
He further emphasised the need for an “airshed-based approach”, a coordinated effort involving neighbouring states and agencies to control pollution collectively rather than city by city.
A Costly Experiment Chasing What Nature Was Already Ready to Deliver
Environmental activist Bhavreen Kandhari pointed out that Delhi’s atmosphere already had enough moisture due to a western disturbance, which naturally brings rain.
“Cloud seeding can only enhance rainfall when the atmosphere is moisture-deficient and conditions are marginal for precipitation. The skies were already rich with moisture, and a western disturbance was forecast to bring natural rain,” she said.
Under such conditions, Kandhari noted, “Cloud seeding adds little scientific value; it becomes a costly experiment chasing what nature is already prepared to deliver.” She concluded that clean air will come not from artificial rain but from consistent emission control, dust management, and responsible policymaking.
What Delhi needs for clean air
While cloud seeding may sound futuristic, experts agree that Delhi’s real challenge lies on the ground, not in the clouds. With rising construction dust, vehicle emissions, and industrial output, the city’s air quality cannot be fixed by one-off interventions. Sustainable improvement, they say, requires strict enforcement of pollution control norms, regional cooperation, and long-term policy action.
Delhi’s Rs 3.2-crore cloud seeding experiment may have missed the rain, but it has certainly sparked a larger debate, whether India’s capital is chasing short-term optics over long-term environmental healing.
Inputs from TOI
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