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Air pollution

Delhi Tries Cloud-Seeding Experiment to Clean the Air, But Experts Raise Concerns

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Cloud seeding is being attempted in Delhi to tackle the city's severe air pollution. The experiment involves using aircraft or drones to release particles of silver iodide into clouds, which can trigger precipitation. However, experts have expressed skepticism about the efficacy of this method, citing the complexity of Delhi's pollution problem and the lack of research on the long-term effects of cloud seeding. Despite the concerns, the regional government is pushing forward with the experiment, aiming for an artificial rain on October 29.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Delhi regional government is trialing a cloud-seeding experiment to combat air pollution, a method proposed by the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) since its election.
  • The process involves using aircraft or drones to release silver iodide particles into clouds, which can modify their structure and increase the chance of precipitation.
  • Cloud seeding may produce more frequent and heavier rain than natural clouds, but its effectiveness is often small, and the presence of clouds is necessary, which can be scarce during Delhi's winter months.
  • The method does not address the root causes of pollution, such as emissions from crop burning, factories, and heavy traffic.
  • Experts Shahzad Gani and Krishna AchutaRao have condemned the plan as a "gimmick" and "a textbook case of science misapplied and ethics ignored."
  • The use of silver iodide or sodium chloride may have long-term effects on agriculture and human health, with little research conducted on this topic.
  • Delhi has been ranked the world's most polluted city for over a decade, with pollution levels increasing by 6% in 2024.
  • The city's air quality regularly exceeds those seen during the "airpocalypse" in Beijing in 2013.

Statistics:

  • 6%: Increase in pollution levels in Delhi in 2024.
  • 2013: Year in which the Chinese government implemented strict measures to clean up the air in Beijing.
  • 2024: Year in which Delhi's pollution levels rose by 6%.
  • >10 years: Duration for which Delhi has been ranked as the world's most polluted city.

Sources:

  • The Hindu newspaper
  • Centre for Atmospheric Sciences
  • Bharatiya Janata party (BJP)
  • Indian government
  • Reuters

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