Cloud seeding: Pune-IITM scientists say a misguided fix for Delhi’s pollution crisis

Without clouds, cloud seeding becomes ineffective, raising questions about its feasibility in such conditions.

Passengers hang outside a train arriving in New Delhi. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

The Delhi government’s appeal to the Centre to permit cloud-seeding and induce artificial rain as a means to tackle the national capital’s ongoing air pollution crisis is misplaced, scientists at the Indian Institute of Tropical Management, Pune, said.

“This demand appears misplaced, as it fails to address the root causes of pollution and the 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.

To address Delhi’s air pollution crisis, Environment Minister Gopal Rai has suggested that the Delhi government is looking into other options like artificial rain, which can lead to settling airborne pollutants and improve visibility. However, according to scientists, in the recent air pollution in Delhi, the absence of clouds have posed a significant challenge for artificial rain efforts.

“Cloud seeding requires the presence of clouds, and without them, the process is simply not possible. Moreover, not all clouds are suitable for cloud seeding, as specific types and conditions are necessary to generate artificial rain effectively,” Dr Ghude said.

Over the past five years, data showed that during peak pollution episodes in Delhi and the surrounding areas, clouds are rarely present. Without clouds, cloud seeding becomes ineffective, raising questions about its feasibility in such conditions.

Also Read | Is Delhi’s AQI 500 or 1,500? The confusion is part of the problem

“Cloud seeding requires the presence of moisture-laden clouds. Delhi’s winters are typically dry with minimal cloud cover, making seeding ineffective. The success of cloud seeding is not guaranteed, as it heavily depends on pre-existing weather conditions and precise execution,” the scientist said.

According to the expert, during winter, Delhi often experiences temperature inversions, trapping pollutants near the surface. “These stable atmospheric conditions do not favor the development of clouds that could be seeded. The scale of Delhi’s pollution problem is vast, requiring massive, continuous rain over a large area to have a measurable impact,” he added.

Story continues below this ad

Even if a few isolated clouds could be seeded—an unlikely scenario—it would not result in heavy or widespread rainfall. According to Dr Ghude, the effort required to generate sustained rainfall for effective pollution control is neither practical nor feasible.

Winter pollution in Delhi is primarily caused by fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) from vehicular emissions, stubble burning, and industrial activity. “Rain can temporarily wash away pollutants but doesn’t address the source of emissions. Rain might clean the air momentarily, but pollution levels can quickly rebound as emissions persist,” Dr Ghude said.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. ``Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) "Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. ``At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure "For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. ``Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. X (Twitter): @runaanu ... Read More

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories