Congress slams Delhi govt's Rs 34 cr cloud seeding as gimmick

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday tore into the Delhi government's Rs 34-crore winter cloud seeding experiment, calling it an "expensive illusion" that fails to address the capital's escalating air pollution crisis. Experts, including those at the Centre for Atmospheric Sciences at IIT Delhi, have deemed the experiment largely ineffective, raising serious questions about its utility.

The Congress leader highlighted that scientific bodies, including the Centre for Atmospheric Sciences at IIT Delhi, have deemed the measure ineffective. "Winter cloud seeding certainly looks dramatic and gives the impression that something substantial is being done," Ramesh wrote on X.

However, he questioned the logic of proceeding when "overwhelming scientific consensus raises doubts about its efficacy," suggesting it's little more than a "headline-grabbing measure."

Ramesh emphasized that three key agencies—the Commission for Air Quality Management, the Indian Meteorological Department, and IIT Delhi—have all advised against winter cloud seeding as a solution for Delhi’s air pollution. The IIT Delhi report reinforces this position, warning that the experiment is unlikely to deliver any meaningful improvement in the capital’s air quality.

He added that the IIT Delhi study highlights the climatological limitations of Delhi’s winter atmosphere, which is too dry for consistent cloud seeding. Even if rainfall were induced, it would provide only a brief reprieve of 1–3 days before pollution levels quickly rise again, making the measure largely ineffective.

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