Delhi's effort to combat its severe winter smog, involving a cloud seeding technique to induce artificial rain, has not yielded any significant results. This has raised significant questions about the method's effectiveness. The initiative, conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur in collaboration with local authorities, aimed to use chemicals like silver iodide or salt particles, sprayed from aircraft, to encourage water droplets to form and fall as rain, which could then help wash pollutants from the air.

Delhi's Artificial Rain Experiment Fails to Deliver

The recent trials generated minimal rainfall because the clouds were too thin, and the air lacked sufficient moisture. Officials acknowledged that the limited availability of moisture rendered the attempt unsuccessful. Bhavreen Kandhari, an environmental activist in Delhi, criticized the approach. She emphasized that true air quality improvement can only be achieved by addressing the root causes of pollution. According to local sources, the government allocated approximately $364,000 (₹3 crore) for this trial.

Delhi continues to face a persistent smog problem every winter, with thick layers of pollutants blanketing the city and its population of over 30 million.

Cold weather traps smoke and emissions from sources such as crop burning, vehicles, factories, and construction, turning the city into one of the most polluted capitals globally. Despite various efforts, such as limiting vehicle use, installing smog towers, and using mist from trucks to clean the air, pollution levels have not improved and have worsened in recent years.

On the day following the cloud seeding trial, Delhi's PM2.5 concentration reached 323, which is more than 20 times the safe daily limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Experts warn that this figure is likely to increase as winter progresses. A 2023 study published in The Lancet Planetary Health estimated that 3.8 million deaths in India between 2009 and 2019 were attributed to air pollution.

Concerns have also been raised regarding the safety and effectiveness of the chemicals involved in cloud seeding. While the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mentions limited evidence of harm from silver iodide, it acknowledges that the long-term effects of large-scale application are still uncertain. Even if the method does produce rain, experts note that the effect is short-lived.

Experts Question Effectiveness and Safety

Daniele Visioni, a climate scientist at Cornell University, questioned the practicality of using this method in Delhi's conditions. 

He says, "It can't create rain where there is no moisture in the air, but it just 'forces' some of the water to condense in one location rather than another.”

Cloud seeding is not a new concept. It was developed in the 1940s and has been used in several countries to induce rain, disperse fog, and reduce drought, though with mixed results. China, for example, used cloud seeding before the 2008 Beijing Olympics to manage rainfall and improve air quality.

However, experts caution that artificial rain cannot replace long-term strategies for pollution control. It is expensive and can also alter rainfall patterns, leading to over-saturation in one area and drought in another.

For now, Delhi's skies remain grey, its air heavy, and its people continue to struggle with breathing. The failed experiment serves as a reminder that quick fixes cannot resolve a crisis rooted in years of unchecked pollution.

Source: Phys

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