In a landmark move to combat air pollution, Delhi is set to witness artificial rain for the first time, with cloud seeding operations scheduled between July 4 and 11. The initiative is spearheaded by the Environment Department under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and was announced by Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

Mr. Sirsa stated that the flight plan for the cloud seeding operation has been submitted by IIT Kanpur to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Pune for technical coordination. He said, Current weather conditions are not suitable for cloud seeding until July 3, but a tentative flight window has been proposed between July 4 and 11. He added that a proposal has also been sent to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for an alternative window, should the initial schedule be disrupted by adverse weather.

Calling the initiative a historic step in urban pollution control, Mr Sirsa said, clean air is the most basic right of every resident and government is exploring every possible solution, and artificial rain is one of the bold steps we are taking. The project, titled “Technology Demonstration and Evaluation of Cloud Seeding as an Alternative for Delhi NCR Pollution Mitigation”, will consist of five aircraft sorties over low-security airspace in northwest and outer Delhi.

Each sortie, lasting approximately 90 minutes, will cover around 100 square kilometres. Officials express hope that this pilot project will bring measurable improvements in air quality and pave the way for future innovations in pollution control across urban India.