Delhi Cloud Seeding Project 2025: Artificial Rain to Combat Air Pollution
Delhi had planned India's first artificial rain trial, from July 4 to 11. But just days before launch, it was postponed. The irony? The monsoon clouds weren't good enough for rain .So, what exactly was the plan? And why does it matter? Under a ₹3.21 crore project, the Delhi Environment Department, along with IIT Kanpur, wanted to seed clouds using a modified Cessna 206-H aircraft. The idea? To wash out harmful pollutants, especially PM2.5 and PM10 from the air.
Now, you may ask what these are. PM2.5 and PM10 are microscopic particles, 2.5 and 10 micrometres wide, small enough to reach deep into your lungs and bloodstream. They're major contributors to Delhi's toxic air. Here's how cloud seeding works. The aircraft releases a mix of silver iodide, iodised salt, and rock salt into the clouds, specifically nimbostratus clouds at altitudes between 500 and 6,000 metres. This chemical blend triggers raindrop formation and that rain helps clean the air below. Each flight lasts about 90 minutes and covers around 100 square kilometres.
The target zones? Some of Delhi's most polluted areas, Rohini, Bawana, Alipur, Burari, and even parts of western UP like Loni and Baghpat .The project has approvals from the India Meteorological Department and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Flights will avoid VIP zones and restricted airspace, and follow all aviation rules. Five flights are planned. After each, pollution levels will be measured to track the impact.
This trial is part of Delhi's 2025–26 Environment Action Plan, which includes, AI-based pollution enforcement, anti-smog guns, real-time dust monitoring and cleaner public transport. Cloud seeding has been used in various countries, with mixed but measurable outcomes.
In the United States, especially in Colorado and Nevada, cloud seeding has been practised for decades to boost snowfall and support water supplies. Independent evaluations show a 5–15% increase in precipitation a modest but valuable gain, particularly in drought-prone regions.
China has used cloud seeding extensively, not just for drought management, but also to clear skies ahead of major events, like the 2008 Beijing Olympics. While the government reports success, many international experts say it's difficult to quantify exactly how effective these efforts are, due to the complex nature of weather systems.
The United Arab Emirates runs one of the world's most aggressive and advanced cloud seeding programs, conducting over 200 missions annually. Recent studies suggest an average increase of about 22–30% in rainfall, with some localised areas seeing even more.
However, following record floods in April 2024, the UAE's heaviest rainfall in 75 years, some speculated that cloud seeding was to blame. In Russia, cloud seeding is typically used for short-term, ceremonial purposes, like ensuring clear skies for parades and public events. Officials say it's been consistently effective for these limited applications.
So, why the delay in Delhi? Despite active monsoon conditions, the current clouds don't have the right moisture content for seeding .The new window? August 30 to September 10, but again, it all depends on the weather.
If it works, this could be a game-changer in how Indian cities fight air pollution. But for now, all eyes are on the skies.
Presentation & Editing: Vishnoo Jotshi
Video: Aniket Singh Chauhan
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Widespread rain disrupts life across state
1 2 3 Bhubaneswar/Keonjhar: Widespread heavy rainfall over the past 24 hours has disrupted normal life in several parts of the state, with Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Sambalpur, and Sundargarh districts reporting significant damage and evacuations. "There is no immediate threat from any major river in the state. Torrential rain caused waterlogging in some low-lying areas. Damage assessment reports from affected districts are being compiled, and compensation will be provided soon," said revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari. All district collectors have been asked to stay alert, monitor vulnerable areas, and respond quickly to any situation, he added. With a low-pressure area active over Gangetic West Bengal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued heavy rain alerts for Balangir, Bargarh, and Nuapada, with 13 other districts also likely to receive more rain. According to the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC), water levels in key points like Naraj on the Mahanadi, Anandpur and Akhuapada on the Baitarani, and Kashinagar on the Vansadhara remain under control. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The Hirakud reservoir recorded 609.79 feet as of 9 AM Monday, with 20 gates opened to discharge excess water. Shamakhunta in Mayurbhanj saw the highest rainfall of 170 mm, followed by Bhatli in Bargarh (159 mm) and Balasore (148 mm). Jharsuguda remains badly hit, with five blocks and three urban areas affected; 722 people have been evacuated, and about 265 houses damaged. Four blocks in Keonjhar have also seen flooding, with 100 people moved to safer places. Over 30 families in Dhaladihi village appealed for the chief minister's help via social media. Traffic has been disrupted in parts of Keonjhar and the Joda mining area due to damaged roads and landslides. In Sundargarh, 10 blocks have been affected, while roads in several tehsils have suffered waterlogging and erosion. Kuchinda in Sambalpur is the worst hit, with five gram panchayats flooded and 420 people evacuated. Medical teams and an ODRAF unit are on rescue and restoration duty, the SRC office said.
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Gurugram: Rain causes traffic snarls on expressway
Early morning rain on Monday waterlogged several locations across Gurugram and caused severe traffic jams on the Delhi-Jaipur Expressway, delaying commuters going towards Delhi by at least 30 to 40 minutes. Gurugram saw 10.5mm rainfall between 5.30pm on Sunday and 8.30am on Monday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Traffic congestion on NH 48 in Gurugram on Monday. (Parveen Kumar/HT photo) The most severe snarl was from the Sirhaul border till Rajiv Chowk, which was caused by waterlogging and aggravated after a truck broke down on the elevated section near Signature Tower. The Gurugram traffic police said they had already deployed personnel at key locations across the city in anticipation of traffic jams caused by rainfall, and the congestion was cleared quickly. 'We dispatched a crane to tow away the truck but it took time to reach the spot due to long vehicle queues,' said a traffic official. 'All the snarls were cleared soon and the broken vehicle was removed using a crane,' said deputy commissioner of police Rajesh Kumar Mohan. The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram said that while waterlogging occurred in various places across the city, the accumulated water was only a few inches in depth and was cleared out quickly. 'We had cleaned sewers and drains at most of the places ahead of the monsoon, which helped water recede quickly,' said an MCG official. Gurugram recorded a maximum temperature of 33.8 degrees Celsius (°C) and a minimum of 22.4°C on Monday. The city's AQI was in the moderate category (104) on Monday. IMD said there was a possibility of thunderstorms and lightning with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in Haryana on Tuesday. Traffic jams Aside from the Sirhaul border to Rajiv Chowk traffic jam, the stretch between Khandsa and the cloverleaf intersection was also heavily congested. The service lane along this road also got congested when vehicles entered it to avoid the jam on the main road. The service lane along the Dwarka Expressway also got heavily congested. Kunal Yadav, a lawyer who travels to Gurugram civil court from Sohna every day, said it took him 20 minutes just to cross Rajiv Chowk and enter the court to park his car — a stretch of 200 metres. 'The intersection was completely jammed and vehicles were not able to move in any direction,' he said. Officials said that potholes and uneven roads near Shankar Chowk further slowed down traffic on the expressway. Traffic inspector Ashin Khan said that the stretch near Narsinghpur was waterlogged. 'The vehicles were moving slowly between Khandsa and the cloverleaf intersection,' Khan said. Waterlogging across city Sheetla Mata road, the sectors 5, 9 and 14 roads, and the stretch of MG Road in Old Gurugram also faced waterlogging but the water was drained out soon. The Sheetla colony entrance, New railway road and Bus stand road were other locations where commuters faced waterlogging. The rainwater also broke up garbage piles and scattered garbage on the road. Neelam Chaudhary, a Sector 8 resident, said there was waterlogging everywhere in the morning but it got cleared in the next couple of hours. 'However, the rain caused uncollected garbage to get scattered on the road at several locations. It caused many problems for residents and commuters as even after water was drained out, there was litter all around left behind on the road,' she added. Prince Arora, an executive of an automobile showroom in Sector 15, said the rain caused severe waterlogging on internal roads. 'Though the rainwater was drained out from the main roads, conditions of internal roads remained poor,' he said. Arora said that MG Road near the Sector 14 government girls' college gets waterlogged during every rainfall. 'It takes days for water to drain out even after a small spell of rain,' he said.
The Hindu
12 hours ago
- The Hindu
Meghalaya's Sohra, considered world's wettest place, records a third of rainfall in June
Meghalaya's Sohra, considered the wettest place on earth, this June received barely one-third of the rainfall it recorded in the same month last year, deepening concerns over the impact of climate change. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Sohra, also known as Cherrapunji, recorded only 1,095.4 mm of rainfall this June, a sharp drop from 3,041.2 mm it received in the same period last year. This is among the steepest year-on-year declines in rainfall in the region, an IMD official said. 'This is deeply concerning. Sohra has been witnessing irregular rainfall for years, but such a sharp drop in June is alarming,' he said. The May data was not satisfactory either – there was a shortfall of about 400 mm of rainfall that month as compared to the same period last year. 'Over the past decade and a half, Sohra has seen a significant decline in its average annual rainfall,' the official said. 'Since 2005, Sohra has received only about 8,000 mm to 9,000 mm of rain annually, against a normal average of about 11,000 mm,' he said. 'Even this 'normal' of 11,000 mm pales in comparison to the 1970s when Sohra routinely recorded almost double that figure,' he added. In 1974, the town received 24,555 mm of rain, setting a world record that still stands. The current annual average is about a third of that, the official said. Experts cite shifting monsoon patterns, deforestation, rising sea surface temperatures, and urbanisation as reasons behind the decline. Adding to the crisis is the town's growing population and the increasing number of tourists. In 1961, Sohra had around 7,000 residents, whereas today, it is home to over 10 times that number, a local official said. 'This population explosion has put immense pressure on its water resources,' he said. Despite being synonymous with heavy rainfall, Sohra ironically struggles with water shortages, especially during the dry months. Villagers increasingly rely on fragile springs, while some areas need to be supplied with water by tankers who make quick bucks to meet the demand. Local conservationists have been urging immediate action through reforestation, watershed protection, and regulation of construction activities to avert a looming ecological disaster. 'The rainfall crisis is no longer about records, it's about whether Sohra can sustain itself in the future,' a Shillong-based environmental activist warned. Officials said they will continue to monitor the monsoon closely but admit that the declining trend deepens concerns for the region.
