NEW DELHI: The Delhi Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal entitled “Technology Demonstration and Evaluation of Cloud Seeding as an Alternative for Delhi-NCR” to conduct five cloud-seeding trials aimed at combating the capital’s persistent air pollution and water scarcity challenges.
According to the proposal, each cloud-seeding trial will cost Rs 55 lakh, with an estimated expenditure of Rs 2.75 crore for the five trials. Additionally, there will be a one-time setup cost of Rs 66 lakh to cover aircraft calibration, chemical storage, logistics, and other preparatory arrangements bringing the total outlay to Rs 3.21 crore.
The project will be implemented by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, which will monitor strategy, aircraft deployment, chemical dispersal, scientific modeling, and operational logistics. Funds for the initiative will be directly transferred to the IIT by the Delhi government.
The first trial is scheduled for late May or June, subject to requisite clearances, and will cover an area of approximately 100 sq km, primarily on the outskirts of the capital.
A total of five trials will be conducted in this phase. Post-trial, scientific evaluations will assess the efficacy and environmental impact of cloud seeding in reducing air pollution and improving precipitation levels.
Environment minister MS Sirsa told the Cabinet that the government will obtain necessary No-Objection Certificates from 13 governing agencies, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Airports Authority of India, and others before operational deployment begins.
“We are committed to conducting these trials soon, exploring cloud-seeding as a contingency option during critical pollution periods. This initiative complements our ongoing efforts, including AI-based monitoring and 24x7 surveillance at pollution hotspots,” the minister said.
He reiterated the importance of using modern technology in curbing air pollution, asserting that the city government is committed to provide clean air for its residents.