Delhi govt digs in, Opposition cries ‘rain theft’ as cloud-seeding trial is suspended

Environmental scientists have cautioned that cloud seeding is not a viable or lasting solution to Delhi’s pollution crisis

A day after two cloud-seeding operations over Delhi short of delivering rain, another round of seeding, planned for Wednesday, had to be called off due to “insufficient moisture” in the clouds, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur said on Wednesday.

Video grab of the aircraft that was used to carry out the cloud seeding activity. (AP)

The trial, meant to test whether artificial rain could help cleanse Delhi’s notoriously toxic air, also became the subject of political sparring and scientific scepticism.

While the Delhi government hailed it as a “science-led intervention” that showed encouraging results despite the dry weather, opposition parties dismissed the exercise as a “waste of taxpayer money.” Environmental scientists, meanwhile, cautioned that cloud seeding is not a viable or lasting solution to Delhi’s pollution crisis, especially during the city’s dry and stagnant winter months.

The latest developments come a day after a small, single-propeller aircraft operated by IIT-Kanpur had flown over Delhi and parts of NCR, firing silver iodide flares in two phases of cloud seeding trials. However, the trials failed to produce any rain.

“The process is highly dependent on the right atmospheric conditions. While rainfall could not be triggered because moisture levels were only 15-20%, the trial delivered valuable insights,” the institute said in a statement on Wednesday.

The university said that observations made during Tuesday’s test flights would contribute to planning for future operations and allow experts to better identify conditions where this intervention might deliver maximum benefit. “Such learnings form the foundation for more effective deployments ahead. IIT-Kanpur remains committed to advancing this research with scientific discipline and a clear focus on improving environmental outcomes for NCR,” it added.

“If we fear failure and because of that we do not undertake the experiment, then we will not progress,” IIT Kanpur director Prof. Manindra Agrawal said, adding that in the overall scheme of things, the cost of the process is “not much” when compared to the money spent on pollution control measures in Delhi.

Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa defended the project, calling it “a pioneering effort based on science-driven governance.”

“Even with low cloud moisture, the trial showed measurable particulate matter reductions. Our efforts do not rely on a single intervention – we combine technology with enforcement and public engagement to improve air quality,” Sirsa said. He added that the government would consider another round of seeding once weather conditions improve.

State officials, meanwhile, claimed that particulate matter reductions of up to 41.9% in PM10 were observed at several monitoring sites, along with improvements in Air Quality Index (AQI) levels. “The momentum we see today is due to a holistic approach – our government stands firmly behind evidence-based interventions that benefit every resident,” said a senior official.

Experts, however, urged caution in interpreting the results as such.

Shahzad Gani, assistant professor at IIT Delhi’s Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, said cloud seeding is not a sustainable solution to Delhi’s pollution problem. “Leaving aside doubts about its effectiveness, the method only works when rain-bearing clouds are already present – and such conditions are rare during the peak pollution period,” he said. “Even if a brief spell of rain occurs, any improvement in air quality would be short-lived because pollution sources remain active.”

Opposition parties, meanwhile, seized on the lack of rainfall to attack the Delhi government. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Delhi state chief Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the BJP-led administration of “wasting public money” and staging what he called a “circus to fool people.”

“This drama and circus, conducted with public money just to fool people, falls under the category of corruption. If chief minister Rekha Gupta only wants false praise, she should waste her own money instead of wasting Delhiites’ money on such stunts,” he said.

The Delhi Pradesh Youth Congress went a step further, filing a symbolic police complaint accusing the government of “rain theft.” Its president, Akshay Lakra, lodged the complaint at Parliament Street Police Station, claiming that “rain worth ₹1.25 crore has been stolen in Delhi.” In his complaint, Lakra requested that an FIR be registered under sections related to theft, cheating, and criminal breach of trust by public servants.