Delhi to conduct cloud-seeding trials with each flight lasting for 1.5 hrs

Delhi will conduct five cloud-seeding trials, each on a separate day, with flights operating for about one to one-and-a-half hours for injecting chemicals into clouds, an official said on Monday.

They said the trials could be conducted in quick succession, possibly within a week, depending on weather conditions.

"If suitable weather is observed, we may conduct all five trials within a week or with gaps of a day or two. The schedule will depend on cloud availability," they said.

Cloud-seeding, also known as artificial rain, is a technique to induce rainfall by dispersing specific substances into clouds, which eventually leads to rain if other weather conditions are favourable.

An official from the Environment Department, who requested anonymity, told PTI that the locations for the trials have not been finalised yet.

IIT Kanpur, which is leading the experiment from planning to execution, will select the sites based on various scientific and logistical factors. He added that the trials cannot be conducted within the city, including Lutyens' Delhi or near the Indira Gandhi International Airport, due to safety and airspace restrictions.

Therefore, the operations will take place on the outskirts of Delhi, where meteorological conditions will also play a key role.

The official said that during each trial, an aircraft will operate for one to one-and-a-half hours, and the exact schedule will be finalised soon, with the first trial likely to be conducted by the end of May or June.

In a fresh push to combat air pollution, the Delhi cabinet on May 7 approved a proposal to conduct five cloud-seeding trials, with a total project outlay of Rs 3.21 crore. This includes Rs 2.75 crore for the trials (Rs 55 lakh per trial) and a one-time setup cost of Rs 66 lakh for equipment calibration, logistics, and preparatory work.

The government is in the process of obtaining no-objection certificates (NOCs) from 13 key departments, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Defence and the Airports Authority of India.

"This is a scientific intervention aimed at improving air quality during critical pollution periods. It complements our AI-based monitoring and 24x7 surveillance efforts," Sirsa said, reaffirming the government's commitment to providing clean air to Delhi's residents.