New Delhi attempts Artificial Rain to Combat Severe Pollution
New Delhi, India – Authorities in New Delhi are attempting to induce rainfall through cloud seeding as the city grapples with dangerously high levels of air pollution, exacerbated by Diwali firecrackers and seasonal factors. The initiative, launched this week, aims to wash away pollutants blanketing the capital and improve air quality, but its effectiveness remains a subject of scientific debate.
New Delhi routinely experiences severe air pollution, especially during the winter months. This is due to a combination of factors including vehicle emissions, industrial activity, construction, agricultural burning in neighboring states, and meteorological conditions that trap pollutants close to the ground. Prolonged exposure to this pollution is linked to respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular problems, infections, and adverse birth outcomes. The recent Diwali celebrations further worsened the situation, contributing to the city’s reputation as one of the world’s most polluted.
Cloud seeding works by “nudging” the sky into raining. Scientists identify suitable clouds based on type,height,atmospheric conditions,and moisture distribution. Planes or drones then release tiny particles – typically salt or silver iodide – into these clouds. These particles act as condensation nuclei, providing water vapor with a surface to cling to, encouraging droplet formation and ultimately, rainfall.Images released by the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur on Tuesday showed substances being released from flares attached to an aircraft flying through cloudy skies.
However, the scientific community is divided on the efficacy of cloud seeding. While it cannot create clouds, evidence that it reliably increases rainfall is weak and contested, according to Shahzad Gani and Krishna AchutaRao, professors at the Center for Atmospheric Sciences, IIT Delhi, writing in The Hindu on October 24. Concerns also exist regarding the potential ecological harm from the accumulation of seeding salts in the soil.
Experts emphasize that artificial rain offers only a temporary solution to a persistent problem. Gani and AchutaRao argue that cloud seeding is “just another gimmick in a series of similar unscientific ideas…suggesting that flashy interventions can substitute for serious, structural solutions.”
