NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has postponed its much-anticipated cloud seeding experiment, initially scheduled for early July, citing the early and active onset of the monsoon.
Officials confirmed that the trial, which was intended to test the feasibility of artificial rain as an air pollution mitigation strategy, will now be deferred to a later period, most likely after the monsoon and winter pollution season.
The trial, originally planned between July 4 and 11, required specific atmospheric conditions, including adequate cloud presence and low rainfall to allow effective seeding.
However, with monsoon conditions fully active over Delhi since June 29, the required weather window has closed.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast continuing rainfall over the coming weeks, making it unfeasible to conduct the experiment at this stage. “We had applied for permission to conduct this between July 4 and 11, but since the monsoon has started, we have requested a second window from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) post monsoon. We will try to conduct a trial in the outer areas near Narela and Bawana around December in a small cluster to ensure that there are no ill effects,” said Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.
The cloud seeding project, developed in collaboration with IIT Kanpur and other scientific partners, aims to use aircraft to spray hygroscopic substances into clouds to trigger rainfall.
The method has been explored in various parts of the world as a way to artificially induce rain and improve air quality, particularly during severe smog episodes.
Forecasts for the coming days indicate temperatures will hover between 31-34 degrees Celsius, with light rainfall likely across all districts of Delhi-NCR till July 6. No heat wave conditions are expected during this period, said IMD.