A cloud seeding operation over Delhi failed to trigger artificial rain on Tuesday but successfully reduced PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 6–10 per cent, according to IIT Kanpur Director Manindra Agrawal. Speaking to reporters in Lucknow on Wednesday, Agrawal described the exercise as a valuable experiment that yielded critical data on pollution mitigation even under low-moisture conditions. The findings, collected from 15 air quality monitoring stations across the capital, offer new insights into how seeding agents can disperse particulate matter without precipitation.

Two aircraft deployed from Kanpur and Meerut airfields released eight 0.5-kg flares each over targeted zones, including Khekra, Burari, North Karol Bagh, Mayur Vihar, Sadakpur, Bhojpur, and adjacent areas. The flares dispersed a scientifically calibrated mixture aimed at enhancing cloud condensation. A follow-up operation scheduled for October 29 was postponed due to insufficient atmospheric moisture, underscoring the technique’s reliance on favourable humidity and supercooled water droplets.

Agrawal emphasised that the trial’s partial success—achieving pollutant washout without rainfall—validates continued research. “Even with minimal moisture, seeding had a measurable impact,” he said, adding that avoiding experimentation out of fear of failure would stall progress. The initiative, led by IIT Kanpur under a Delhi government mandate, aligns with emergency anti-smog measures amid the capital’s escalating air quality crisis.

Also Read: Delhi Conducts Cloud-Seeding Trial, Artificial Rain Expected Soon

As Delhi battles hazardous AQI levels driven by stubble burning and vehicular emissions, the data strengthens the case for refining cloud seeding as a supplementary tool in urban pollution control. Authorities are reviewing the results to plan future operations, with the potential to scale the approach during peak winter smog.

Also Read: Delhi’s First Cloud Seeding Trial to Tackle Toxic Air may Begin Today if Weather Clears in Kanpur