Delhi artificial rain trial may be delayed due to uncertain weather

The Delhi government's plan to conduct artificial rain trials in the city could be pushed back as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) is yet to give a clear go-ahead, officials said.

With a western disturbance likely to bring rain later this week, officials said the experiment will only be held when dry weather is assured. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the trial can yield meaningful results only if carried out in clear weather conditions.

"We will wait until IMD gives us a green light and confirms there is no possibility of rain. Otherwise, there is no point in conducting the trial," he said.

The Delhi government recently signed an MoU with IIT Kanpur for five such trials, to be conducted in northwest Delhi. The project, cleared by 23 departments including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), is aimed at exploring whether cloud seeding can help tackle pollution during peak winter months.

Funds have already been transferred to IIT Kanpur, which will deploy its aircraft for the operation. Earlier attempts to hold the trial had to be postponed due to active monsoon conditions, which blurred the distinction between natural and induced rain.

Officials said the final schedule will depend on the IMD providing a clear weather window. At the end of September, Delhi's environment minister said that the first cloud seeding trial would be held in northwest Delhi between October 7 and 9.

However, according to the IMD's weekly forecast, thunderstorm and rain have been predicted between October 5 and 7.

The minister had also said that further trials would depend on the outcome of the initial exercise, for which a two-month window -- October and November -- has been earmarked.

The DGCA order specifies that the activity will be conducted without remuneration, under visual flight rules, and only after obtaining clearances from state and local authorities.

The operations are authorised from October 1 to November 30 and will be carried out under strict safety, security, and air traffic guidelines.

The clearance, issued under Rule 26(2) of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, allows IIT Kanpur's Department of Aerospace Engineering, in coordination with experts from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to carry out the activity using a Cessna 206-H aircraft.

The date for the cloud seeding trials has already seen multiple postponements. At a press conference in July, Sirsa announced that the trial was delayed due to the arrival of the monsoon.

It was then deferred until the end of August, as rainy weather conditions were not suitable and could hinder the desired results. Initially scheduled between July 4 and 11, the trial was rescheduled.

Following consultations with meteorological experts and in light of current weather patterns, the project team later proposed a revised window from August 30 to September 10, when monsoon activity was expected to recede. This window was further extended to improve the chances of success.

The operation will adhere strictly to all safety and environmental guidelines, Sirsa said earlier, adding that no photographers will be allowed during the process to ensure compliance with standard operating procedures.