Delhi’s war against toxic air took to the skies on Tuesday as scientists from IIT-Kanpur launched the city’s first full-scale cloud-seeding experiment, hoping to trigger artificial rain and bring respite from an early and severe smog spell.
A small aircraft carrying silver iodide and salt flares flew over Khekra, Burari, and Mayur Vihar, targeting cloud clusters identified by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The mission aimed to encourage light rainfall, which is nature’s most effective air purifier, to knock down the city’s dense mix of dust and pollutants.
One of the scientists involved in the project mentioned that even a drizzle could reduce particulate matter by up to 40 percent, but then success depended entirely on cloud conditions.
That remains the main uncertainty. The atmospheric humidity stood between 15 and 20 percent, well short of the 50 percent typically required for a successful seeding event. Nonetheless, scientists proceeded with the test to assess equipment performance, chemical dispersion, and radar monitoring.
If conditions improve, rain could follow within 30 minutes of seeding. Otherwise, the team plans to attempt another round in early November, when moisture levels and cloud density are expected to rise.
For residents enduring the season’s first smog blanket, even the idea of artificial rain is a source of comfort. “Anything that helps us breathe better is worth trying,” said Manoj Kumar, a 52-year-old shopkeeper from Karol Bagh, adjusting his mask.
Delhi’s pollution crisis, however, runs deeper than weather anomalies. Crop residue burning in Punjab and Haryana, vehicle emissions, construction dust, and Diwali fireworks combine each year to push the Air Quality Index (AQI) well beyond 300, a level classified as “very poor.” A 2023 study estimated that long-term exposure to such conditions shortens the average Delhi resident’s life by nearly 12 years.
While the cloud-seeding experiment may not be an immediate fix, officials see it as a step toward technological innovation in the city’s long battle for cleaner air.
