‘Prime Minister’s moral responsibility to intervene’: Delhi Min Gopal Rai reiterates artificial rain request

Delhi was in the severe+ category again on Tuesday, with an AQI of 460, slightly lower than Monday’s 494.

Rai alleged he had previously written to Yadav on August 30, October 10, and October 23, regarding the cloud seeding request but these letters were not acknowledged.

The Delhi government had last year formulated a plan with IIT-Kanpur scientists to explore cloud seeding. The trial could not be carried out due to a lack of clearance from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Defence.

In his letter to Yadav, Rai said, “I request the Union Environment Minister to convene an emergency meeting with all stakeholders, including IIT-Kanpur and relevant central agencies, to fast-track the clearances required for artificial rain.”

He said he is again drafting a letter addressed to Yadav urging him to call an emergency meeting.

According to the Delhi government, just one meeting has taken place with the Union Environment Minister, as well as officials, regarding air pollution. “The meeting took place in October and was about paddy stubble burning. Since then, the only meetings that Delhi has had are with the Commission for Air Quality Management. No meeting has been called by the ministry or its officials,” the government said.

However, scientists at the Indian Institute of Tropical Management, Pune, said the Delhi government’s demand is misplaced. “It fails to address the root causes of pollution and practical challenges of cloud seeding, particularly in the absence of suitable weather conditions,” Dr Sachin Ghude, Project Director, System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research and IITM scientist told The Indian Express.

Scientists also said in the recent air pollution episode in Delhi, the absence of clouds has posed a significant challenge for artificial rain efforts. “Without clouds, the process is simply not possible. Moreover, not all clouds are suitable for cloud seeding — specific types and conditions are necessary to generate artificial rain effectively,” he said.

Dr Ghude said the effort required to generate sustained rainfall for effective pollution control is neither practical nor feasible.