Cloud-seeding trials to combat pollution get Delhi cabinet nod

By Pune Media On May 7, 2025

The Delhi Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to conduct cloud-seeding trials in order to combat the air pollution in the national capital.

The trials for the proposal titled “Technology Demonstration and Evaluation of Cloud Seeding as an Alternative for Delhi NCR” will take place during the summer season after necessary clearance.

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa informed that each cloud-seeding trial would cost Rs 55 lakhs, with a total estimated expenditure of Rs 2.75 crore for the five trials.

Additionally, there will be a one-time setup cost of Rs 66 lakhs to cover aircraft calibration, chemical storage, logistics, and other preparatory arrangements making the total cost of the project at Rs 3.21 crore.

The project will be implemented by the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur), which will oversee the planning, aircraft deployment, chemical dispersal, scientific modeling, and operational logistics. Funds for the initiative will be directly transferred to IIT Kanpur by the Delhi government, Sirsa said.

The first trial is scheduled for late May-June 2025, subject to clearances, and will cover an area of approximately 100 square kilometres, primarily on the outskirts of Delhi.

The minister informed the Cabinet that the government will obtain necessary No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) from 13 governing agencies, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Airports Authority of India, and others before operational deployment begins.

“The proposal has been finalized and approved by the Cabinet led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. We are committed to conducting these trials soon, exploring cloud-seeding as a contingency option during critical pollution periods,” the Environment Minister said.

Cloud seeding is a scientific weather modification technique that involves dispersing agents like silver iodide into moisture-bearing clouds to induce precipitation. In the context of Delhi, it is being explored as a potential solution to reduce the concentration of airborne pollutants during high-smog and low-rainfall periods.

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