Gurugram mulls cloud seeding to curb post-Diwali pollution

With air quality in the ‘poor’ range, MCG is exploring artificial rain, but experts warn dry weather and low humidity make cloud seeding unlikely to work.

The district administration is reportedly considering cloud seeding or artificial rain as a temporary measure to reduce pollution levels following Diwali, officials said.

MCG’s idea to use cloud seeding to cut pollution faces hurdles as IMD reports dry air, 32°C temperatures, and low moisture levels across the city. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

According to Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) commissioner Pradeep Dahiya, discussions are underway to explore the possibility of conducting artificial rainfall to reduce dust and emissions across the city. On Wednesday, Gurugram’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 281, placing it in the “poor” category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted dry weather through the end of the week, with winds between 7 and 10 kmph and relative humidity below 80%, well under the optimal threshold for cloud seeding. “Such conditions are not suitable for the formation of sufficient moisture-bearing clouds,” an IMD official said.

A senior MCG official acknowledged that the discussion is still in its nascent stage, but experts have warned that without sufficient cloud cover and moisture, the operation could fail entirely.

However, environmental experts and meteorologists have expressed skepticism about the plan’s feasibility, citing unfavourable weather conditions and low success rates of past cloud seeding experiments in India.

N.B. Nair, retired scientist at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), said that cloud seeding had been tried by several agencies in the 1970s without tangible success. “All those agencies have discarded such techniques long back. There is no point in spending tax money on such completely proven unviable techniques,” Nair said, referring to earlier “warm cloud” modification studies in Delhi and Pune that showed shallow clouds with less than one kilometre thickness either thinned out or disappeared when seeded.

According to IMD data, Gurugram’s maximum and minimum temperatures for the week are expected to remain around 32°C and 18°C, respectively, further limiting chances of cloud formation.

Calling cloud seeding a “money spinner,” Ruchika Sethi Takkar, founder of Citizens for Clean Air, said that agencies should instead invest in scientifically proven interventions. “We should rather deploy drones and increase the number of fire tenders for sprinkling. To prevent emissions from accumulating in the breathing zone, the Leaf Area Index (LAI) must become a central point of discussion,” she said. “Medical officers in the city should treat the current situation as a public health emergency by providing immediate targeted advisories.”

Nair also advised MCG to focus on conventional methods of pollution control. “Local factors such as garbage burning, construction activity, open transportation of materials, and uncovered sand storage are major causes. They should use wet screens to contain dust particulates and wash foliage to improve local air quality. However, under no condition should STP water be used for aerial spray,” he cautioned.

Meanwhile, several residential societies in the city have initiated their own measures to tackle pollution through localized particulate dispersion systems.

Aachal Yadav, president of the DLF Primus RWA (Sector 82), said their society would soon deploy high-rise sprinklers connected to fire pipelines, mimicking artificial rainfall. “We saw great results last year, with AQI improving by almost 50% within the society,” she said.

Similarly, Chaitali Mandhotra, RWA member of Ardee City (Sector 52), said fire pipelines and sprinklers were helping suppress dust from ongoing internal roadwork. “The dust emanating from road construction was controlled by a widespread sprinkler network. This year, we expect less dust and better air quality within the premises,” she said.

A senior DLF official confirmed that the company is exploring artificial rain systems at the condominium level. “We are awaiting internal approval to implement the system in Phase 5. Our construction sites are fully covered to ensure that dust doesn’t spread to nearby areas,” the official said, requesting anonymity.

Experts said cloud seeding typically uses silver iodide particles to induce rainfall, but polluted urban clouds already contain excessive aerosols, reducing effectiveness. “Even if it triggers some precipitation, it happens high in the atmosphere and does not significantly improve ground-level air quality,” experts said.