Delhi’s first artificial rain likely soon after successful cloud seeding trial

Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Tuesday confirmed that a cloud seeding trial was conducted successfully in several areas of Delhi, including Khekra, Burari, North Karol Bagh, Mayur Vihar, Sadakpur, and Bhojpur.

A special flight had earlier taken off from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh and released cloud-seeding material into moisture-laden clouds above the designated areas.

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If successful, Delhi’s first artificial rain is expected in the next few hours.

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta also confirmed the development, saying that if the trial is successful, it can help solve Delhi’s pollution problem.

“We’re constantly discussing the issue of artificial rain, as we’re taking countless steps to address Delhi’s pollution. We’ve also given cloud seeding a trial, hoping to see if it can solve Delhi’s pollution problem. This is an experiment. Let’s see what comes of it. If the experiment is successful, I believe a solution that will be very important for Delhiites will emerge,” she said.

Gupta, however, acknowledged that the cloud seeding trial is new for Delhi and prayed for its success.

“This is new for all of us, as it’s the first time in Delhi. But I pray that this trial is successful and that Delhi benefits from it,” she added.

Cloud seeding is an advanced technology to trigger artificial rain by introducing silver iodide crystals into the moisture-laden clouds.

Special flights carrying the cloud-seeding material fly at a specific altitude and disperse them into the clouds.

The compounds then condense smaller cloud droplets into larger raindrops, resulting in precipitation and finally rainfall.