Delhi is set to experience its inaugural artificial rain on the evening of October 28, 2025, following a pioneering cloud seeding operation aimed at combating the capital's escalating air pollution crisis. The trial, conducted amid post-Diwali smog that has pushed the Air Quality Index (AQI) into the 'very poor' category across multiple hotspots, involved an IIT Kanpur-operated Cessna aircraft dispersing silver iodide and sodium chloride flares into suitable clouds over northwest Delhi's Burari and Karol Bagh areas.

Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa confirmed the operation's successful completion around 3:00 PM IST, noting that the initiative forms part of a broader Delhi government strategy to induce precipitation and wash away toxic particulate matter before winter intensifies the smog. With the AQI hovering at 305 near India Gate and visibility reduced to hazardous levels, residents are hopeful for immediate relief, though experts caution that success hinges on atmospheric conditions like humidity and wind patterns.

The procedure, which lasted approximately half an hour and involved eight fire flares, targets cumulus clouds with sufficient moisture—ideally above 50%—to nucleate water droplets and trigger rainfall. According to Sirsa, precipitation could materialise anywhere from 15 minutes to four hours post-operation, potentially starting as early as 3:15 PM IST and extending into the late evening. However, earlier attempts faced setbacks due to low moisture levels below 20%, underscoring the technique's dependency on natural weather variables.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had forecasted favourable cloud formations between October 28 and 30, enabling the go-ahead after multiple delays from initial plans in May. This first-of-its-kind effort in Delhi, approved at a cost of ₹3.21 crore for five trials, builds on global precedents like China's use during the 2008 Olympics and the UAE's desert rainfall experiments, where seeding has reportedly boosted precipitation by 10-30% under optimal scenarios. A memorandum of understanding signed with IIT Kanpur in September ensures scientific oversight, with monitoring stations tracking AQI shifts in real-time via the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

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

Delhi's air pollution woes, exacerbated by stubble burning in neighbouring states, vehicular emissions, and industrial output, have long demanded innovative interventions. The national capital routinely tops global pollution charts, with PM2.5 levels exceeding WHO limits by 10-15 times during winter inversions that trap pollutants. Last year's 'very poor' days spanned over 100, contributing to thousands of premature deaths annually, per Lancet studies.

Cloud seeding emerges as a short-term palliative in the government's Winter Action Plan, which also enforces bans on non-BS-VI commercial vehicles starting November 1 and odd-even road rationing if AQI breaches 400. Critics, including environmentalists, question its efficacy and ecological risks—silver iodide's potential toxicity and the energy-intensive logistics—but proponents argue it buys time for systemic reforms like cleaner transport and crop residue management. As the aircraft returns to Kanpur for potential follow-up flights, a second trial is under discussion for later today, pending IMD clearance.

While artificial rain promises a tangible reprieve—potentially settling 20-40% of airborne particles through washout—the episode spotlights the urgency for sustained policy shifts. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta hailed the experiment as a "ray of hope", urging public cooperation with measures like carpooling and mask usage. As Delhiites monitor radar apps for signs of drizzle, the trial's outcomes could inform nationwide adoption, especially in smog-choked cities like Lahore and Kolkata. With IMD predicting light natural showers later in the week, the convergence of tech and meteorology might just deliver the elusive blue skies, reminding us that combating climate-induced haze requires both innovation and accountability in one of the world's most densely populated urban sprawls.

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