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As Delhi’s air quality plummets to dangerous levels with the onset of winter, the city’s ambitious plan to induce artificial rain remains stalled, crippled by the central government’s failure to act swiftly. Despite lofty promises of coordinated efforts to combat the toxic pollution, the capital remains suffocated by hazardous smog, while the Centre’s inaction shows no sign of relenting. The health and safety of millions hang in the balance, yet the needed intervention remains conspicuously absent. The latest development saw the Delhi government urging the Centre to convene a meeting to expedite the cloud seeding process—a move seen as critical as pollution worsens.
The Plan to Induce Rain: A Desperate Attempt to Tackle Pollution
Delhi’s government proposed artificial rain in late September to mitigate pollution, especially during the peak pollution season from October to December. The method, commonly known as cloud seeding, involves dispersing substances like silver iodide into clouds to encourage rainfall, which would help wash away the suspended particulate matter in the air. With Delhi’s air quality consistently falling into the “severe” category during winter, artificial rain was seen as a last-resort solution to provide temporary relief.
Environment Minister Gopal Rai has been a critical advocate of this plan, stressing that artificial rain could be an emergency measure to reduce the city’s toxic air levels. However, cloud seeding requires permission and resources from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The Delhi government submitted its request for approval in early October but received no immediate response from the Centre 2.
Referring to Delhi’s persistent “very poor” air quality index (AQI), Gopal Rai stated that air quality is expected to worsen further in November, especially after Diwali, and artificial rain could serve as an emergency intervention to reduce pollution. “The AQI has already surpassed 350, triggering GRAP 2. Given that air quality is likely to become severe in November, I believe it is crucial to assess the feasibility of this method in our situation,” Rai wrote in the letter.
Air Quality Deteriorates as Pollution Sources Multiply
As of mid-October, Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) has entered the “very poor” to “severe” category, with PM2.5 levels reaching hazardous levels in many areas. This period, often called Delhi’s “pollution season,” is driven by various sources, including vehicular emissions, industrial activity, and stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. The contribution of stubble burning to PM2.5 pollution is expected to increase significantly, rising from 1.7% to nearly 7%. Despite potential meteorological relief, it is unlikely to mitigate the pollution surge from stubble burning.
The Delhi government’s efforts to curb pollution include the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which restricts certain activities like construction, bans the use of diesel generators and encourages alternative means of transport. However, these measures must be revised to address the growing environmental crisis. The proposed artificial rain project was supposed to offer temporary relief. Still, with no response from the Centre, the plan remains in limbo, leaving citizens vulnerable to the deteriorating air quality.
Delays in Approval Raise Political Tensions
The lack of response from the central government has sparked a political blame game between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre. Gopal Rai, who has been actively pushing for the artificial rain project, voiced his frustration during a press conference on October 14, stating that despite repeated attempts, the Delhi government has yet to receive any official word from the Union government.
Rai’s statement echoed the sentiments of many Delhi residents, who feel that political differences between the state and central governments are hindering swift action 4. He remarked, “We are ready to implement cloud seeding. The file is with the central government. The Union Minister must take immediate action considering the deteriorating air quality.” The delay has added to the tension between the two governments, which have often clashed over pollution-related issues in the past.
On October 21, the situation intensified when the Delhi government formally requested the Centre to convene a high-level meeting to discuss the cloud seeding project. This plea came as pollution levels continued rising, and Delhi officials emphasised the urgency of implementing the artificial rain plan before the pollution became unmanageable.
Is Artificial Rain the Answer? Mixed Reactions from Experts
Cloud seeding, which involves dispersing chemicals like silver iodide to induce rain, has sparked a debate among environmental experts regarding its effectiveness and safety. In the context of Delhi’s chronic pollution crisis, cloud seeding could offer temporary relief by washing airborne pollutants out of the atmosphere. With air quality frequently plunging into hazardous levels, even short-term solutions could reduce the public health risks associated with high pollution days.
However, the environmental impact of cloud seeding is still under scrutiny. Research on the use of silver iodide has shown that, in small quantities, it is unlikely to cause significant harm to ecosystems. Despite these findings, experts caution that large-scale, long-term use of silver iodide remains an area that requires further study, particularly in densely populated urban areas like Delhi.
Additionally, cloud seeding has high operational costs, and its success depends on weather conditions such as cloud availability. Deploying cloud seeding over a large metropolitan area is expensive, and questions arise about whether the financial investment is justified given the uncertainty of results. Some argue that while it could provide temporary relief, cloud seeding cannot replace comprehensive, long-term measures needed to address Delhi’s pollution problem at its root.
What Lies Ahead for Delhi’s Pollution Crisis?
As the city grapples with worsening air quality, the debate over artificial rain highlights the broader issue of Delhi’s preparedness to tackle pollution. Without a robust, long-term plan addressing the root causes—such as vehicular emissions, industrial pollutants, and agricultural practices—Delhi’s pollution crisis will likely continue. Even if the central government eventually approves cloud seeding, it will unlikely offer a permanent solution.
Delhi residents are waiting for government action, while environmental experts call for a more comprehensive and sustainable approach to tackling air pollution. The city’s reliance on emergency measures like artificial rain may only be a stopgap, and a coordinated effort between state and central authorities is essential to safeguard public health in the long term.
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