{"id":70861,"date":"2025-11-02T09:00:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-02T03:30:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=70861"},"modified":"2025-11-03T18:08:31","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T12:38:31","slug":"cloud-seeding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/cloud-seeding\/","title":{"rendered":"Cloud Seeding, Meaning, Process, Working, Chemicals, Delhi Experiment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cloud Seeding is a technique of weather modification aimed at enhancing rainfall or snowfall by dispersing chemical agents into clouds. It is employed in drought-prone areas, for agriculture support or pollution mitigation when natural precipitation is insufficient. Research indicates that under suitable atmospheric conditions, it may boost precipitation by 5-20 %.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Cloud Seeding Delhi<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Delhi\u2019s recurring winter smog and acute episodes of hazardous air quality prompted authorities to explore rapid mitigation. In 2025, the Delhi Cabinet approved a technology demonstration- five cloud-seeding sorties with aircraft operated by IIT-Kanpur (operational partner), budgeted at \u20b93.21 crore. The stated objective: induce artificial rain to wash down suspended particulates and provide temporary air-quality relief. The trials were planned during IMD-identified weather windows and required DGCA flight\/ airspace clearance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Cloud Seeding Delhi 2025 Operational Details:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Partners: Delhi Government, IIT-Kanpur, IMD coordination, DGCA approvals for aircraft.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mechanism: Aircraft-based release of silver-iodide based seeding flares into targeted cloud decks; ground monitoring of PM2.5\/ PM10 and meteorological parameters.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Timing: Approved for select windows during monsoon\/ post-monsoon 2025 (specific windows announced by <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/india-meteorological-department\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>IMD<\/strong><\/a>).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Cloud Seeding Delhi Efficiency:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Artificial rain can cause rapid washout of particulates; modelling and earlier experiences suggest immediate PM reductions. However, effects are ephemeral if emission sources remain active. Reuters reported trials launched in late October 2025 with expectation of rainfall within minutes to hours after seeding; authorities cautioned continuation depends on cloud availability.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Cloud Seeding Delhi 2025 Reasons for partial failure:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seasonality: Delhi\u2019s worst pollution months (Nov-Jan) often have stable, clear skies and temperature inversion, few target clouds. IMD repeatedly emphasized narrow seeding windows.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Source Control Gap: Seeding does not reduce emissions; crop stubble burning, vehicular and industrial emissions continue to replenish PM.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scientific Uncertainty: GAO and atmospheric scientists caution the evidence base for urban <strong>pollution<\/strong> control via seeding is limited.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Cloud Seeding Meaning<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cloud seeding involves injecting substances like silver iodide, potassium iodide, dry ice or salt particles into clouds to serve as cloud condensation or ice\u2010nucleating nuclei. These particles accelerate droplet or ice crystal formation, increasing the likelihood of <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/precipitation\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>precipitation<\/strong><\/a> when adequate moisture and cloud structure exist.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Cloud Seeding How It Works?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cloud seeding works by introducing specific chemical agents into clouds to enhance precipitation through microphysical changes. These agents, known as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) or ice nuclei (IN), trigger the formation or enlargement of water droplets or ice crystals. The process can be carried out using aircraft, drones, rockets, or ground generators, depending on weather conditions. Effective cloud seeding requires suitable cloud moisture, temperature, and atmospheric dynamics for success.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Cloud Seeding Process<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cloud seeding is typically executed through the following steps:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Cloud Identification<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meteorological agencies (e.g., India Meteorological Department, IMD) identify suitable clouds having sufficient liquid\/ice water content and vertical development.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Assessment of moisture availability, wind conditions, and cloud type ensures the operation is feasible.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Selection of Seeding Agent (Cloud Seeding Chemical)<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agents such as silver iodide, potassium iodide, dry ice (solid CO\u2082) or salt particles are chosen- silver iodide mimics ice nuclei in supercooled clouds.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Warm-cloud seeding uses hygroscopic salts (e.g., NaCl) to boost droplet growth by collision\/ coalescence.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Dispersion Mechanism<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agents are released via aircraft, rockets, ground-based generators or drones.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">E.g., in Delhi\u2019s 2025 pilot five aircraft sorties covering ~100 sq km each.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Microphysical Interaction and Precipitation<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The introduced particles act as nuclei; water vapour condenses or freezes around them; droplets\/ice crystals grow until they fall as precipitation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Evaluation and Monitoring<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pre- and post-seeding rainfall is measured. Studies found 20-24 % increase in rainfall in favourable conditions in India.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pollutant reduction monitoring in urban seeding operations (e.g., Delhi) uses PM2.5\/ PM10 sensors.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Cloud Seeding Chemicals<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cloud Seeding Chemicals are the primary agents used to stimulate precipitation by altering microphysical processes within clouds under specific conditions. These substances act as condensation or ice nuclei depending on cloud type and ambient temperature. Key Seeding Agents Used in this process are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Silver Iodide (AgI):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Most commonly used chemical due to its crystalline structure resembling ice; ideal for cold clouds.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Sodium Chloride (NaCl):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Used for warm clouds in coastal or tropical regions; encourages droplet formation through hygroscopic growth.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Potassium Iodide (KI):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Acts similarly to silver iodide but less toxic; preferred in environmentally sensitive areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Dry Ice (Solid CO\u2082):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Used in aircraft-based seeding; rapidly cools cloud moisture, forming ice crystals.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Liquid Propane:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Expands into ice nuclei when sprayed in supercooled clouds; used for targeted, short-duration precipitation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Calcium Chloride (CaCl\u2082):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Promotes droplet coalescence in warm cloud systems; tested in India\u2019s arid regions like Rajasthan.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><b>Cloud Seeding Types<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are multiple cloud seeding types; here are five commonly discussed:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><b> Warm-Cloud Hygroscopic Seeding<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method: Disperse hygroscopic salts (e.g., NaCl) into warm clouds (above 0 \u00b0C) to enhance droplet growth via collision-coalescence.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agent: Sodium chloride or other salts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cloud Selection: Warm cumulus clouds with liquid water content &gt; 0.5 g\/m\u00b3 and vertical thickness &gt; 1 km. Indian experiments in Pune region showed ~24 % increase.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><b> Cold-Cloud Glaciogenic Seeding<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method: Release ice-nucleating agents (like silver iodide) into supercooled clouds (&lt;0 \u00b0C) so ice crystals form, grow and fall as snow\/rain.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agent: Silver iodide (AgI) or potassium iodide.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cloud Selection: Supercooled stratiform\/convective clouds; used in mountainous\/drought areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><b> Hygroscopic Rocket\/ Drone Seeding<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method: Use rockets or drones to inject agents into target clouds, particularly when aircraft access is limited.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agent: Aerosols or salts dispersed via drone flares.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cloud Selection: Clouds identified by radar\/ML systems (e.g., CloudSense model).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li><b> Ground-based Generator Seeding<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method: Generators at ground emit silver iodide smoke or hygroscopic particles into clouds overhead.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agent: Silver iodide smoke (often from flares) or salts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cloud Selection: Often used in large catchment areas during monsoon; India\u2019s RCPR programme (1957-66) used ground seeding.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li><b> Suppression or Fog\/ Frost Mitigation Seeding<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method: Release agents to disperse fog or inhibit precipitation in controlled zones; used for flights\/ urban air quality.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agent: Hygroscopic aerosols, even use of lasers\/ electric charge.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cloud Selection: Shallow fog or low stratus clouds; still experimental.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Negative Effects of Cloud Seeding<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cloud seeding, while beneficial for rainfall enhancement, carries environmental and health-related risks that must be carefully managed through scientific regulation. Major Side Effects of Cloud Seeding:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/environmental-pollution\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Environmental Pollution<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Excessive silver iodide use may contaminate soil and water, impacting aquatic ecosystems and agriculture.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Health Concerns:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Trace silver accumulation may cause skin and organ-related conditions; <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/world-health-organisation\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>WHO<\/strong><\/a> sets exposure limits to mitigate risks.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Weather Imbalance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Artificial rain in one area may reduce precipitation elsewhere, potentially altering regional climatic equilibrium.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Infrastructure Damage:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Sudden heavy rainfall can trigger floods, landslides, and erosion in fragile terrains.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Atmospheric Chemistry Impact: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chemical agents influence ozone and aerosol concentration, affecting long-term atmospheric quality.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Cross-Border Disputes:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Altered rainfall patterns can create tensions between neighboring states or countries over shared airspace or river basins.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><b>Cloud Seeding Impact<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cloud seeding\u2019s effects must be viewed across multiple, interconnected dimensions: hydrological, agricultural, environmental, public-health, economic, legal-policy and scientific. Major impact of Cloud Seeding are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Hydrological and Water-resource Impact: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cloud seeding aims to increase rainfall\/snowfall in targeted catchments to boost surface inflows and groundwater recharge. Controlled experiments (including India\u2019s CAIPEEX program) have shown measurable increases under favourable conditions, for example, some Indian warm-cloud studies reported precipitation increases up to ~20-24% in targeted cloud systems. However, results vary by region, cloud type and methodology; increases are conditional (i.e., require pre-existing moisture and cloud vertical development).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Agricultural Impact:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> When successful, extra precipitation during critical crop stages improves soil moisture, reduces drought stress and can raise yields or salvage crops during deficit years. Pilot projects in India\u2019s rain-shadow and reservoir catchments reported localized agricultural benefits where seeding coincided with crop water stress periods but robust, long-term yield studies are limited; benefits often remain anecdotal without multi-year controls.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Environmental &amp; Ecological Impact:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Short-term benefits include drought relief and improved river flows. But there are concerns: repeated seeding might alter local microclimates, influence cloud lifecycles, or concentrate seeding agents (e.g., silver iodide) in soils and water bodies. Existing studies (and CAIPEEX guidelines) call for environmental monitoring; long-term ecotoxicology data remain sparse.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Air-Quality and Public-Health Impact:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Artificial rain can temporarily lower particulate pollution (PM2.5\/ PM10) by washout. Delhi pilots aimed at pollution mitigation expect rapid PM reductions after rainfall, but reductions are short-lived and do not address emission sources (vehicles, industry, crop fires). Reliance on seeding as a pollution control strategy is therefore limited and must be integrated with emission reduction.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Economic Impact and Cost-Benefit:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Costs include aircraft\/drone sorties, seed agents, sensors and personnel, for instance, Delhi\u2019s approved five-trial package was ~\u20b93.21 crore. Economic returns depend on event success: a well-timed seeding that restores reservoir inflows or saves crops can justify costs, but failed trials have sunk budgets with negligible impact. Hence cost\u2013benefit is context sensitive and requires careful economic appraisal.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Scientific and Operational Impact:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Cloud seeding drives meteorological research- improved radar, cloud models, aerosol-cloud interaction studies (e.g., CAIPEEX), and now ML-based cloud-selection tools. Operational programmes have accelerated development of localized seeding protocols and monitoring frameworks, improving scientific capacity even where precipitation gains are moderate.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Legal, Ethical and Transboundary Impact: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seeding raises ethical and legal questions: who owns the rain, and could inducing precipitation over one region reduce rainfall downwind? Transboundary governance remains underdeveloped. India\u2019s guidelines (IITM\/ MoES) stress coordination and environmental assessment, but regional agreements and legal frameworks for cross-border effects are still nascent.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><b>Cloud Seeding Challenges<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Below are the major challenges associated with the process and impact of the Cloud Seeding:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Meteorological Uncertainty:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Cloud seeding requires specific cloud microphysics (sufficient liquid\/ice content, vertical development). Many attempted seeding operations occur with inadequate cloud resources.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Way Forward: Invest in high-resolution radar, lidar and satellite monitoring to ensure seeding occurs only with pre-verified favourable clouds; create strict go\/no-go meteorological criteria.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Inconclusive Efficacy Data: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Large, well-controlled randomised studies are rare; attribution of rainfall increases to seeding is difficult.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Way Forward: Implement standardized experimental designs (control regions, randomized trials, pre-seeding baselines) and publish open data for independent verification.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Environmental and Toxicological Concerns:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Long-term accumulation of agents like silver iodide is not fully assessed.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Way Forward: Mandatory environmental impact assessments (EIAs) before scale-up; long-term soil\/water monitoring and research on lower-risk or biodegradable seeding agents.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Cost and Resource Prioritisation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> High operational costs may divert funds from structural water projects.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Way Forward: Require formal cost\u2013benefit analysis tied to water security plans; use seeding as a complementary tool in well-justified, high-impact catchments.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Regulatory and Institutional Gaps:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Fragmented approvals (aviation, environment, meteorology) slow or complicate operations.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Way Forward: Establish a single-window national cloud-seeding protocol (MoES lead) with clear DGCA, state and environmental clearances and standard operating procedures.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Transboundary and Ethical Issues:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Potential for downstream rain loss or perceived \u201cstealing\u201d of precipitation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Way Forward: Develop regional agreements and consultative mechanisms for shared basins; require downstream impact assessments before approval.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Public Perception and Social Licence:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Communities may distrust chemical seeding agents or fear unintended impacts.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Way Forward: Mandatory public consultations, transparent reporting of agents used and monitoring results, and community engagement programmes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Limited Human Capacity and R&amp;D:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Operational skillsets (targeting, in-flight seeding, drone operations) are limited.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Way Forward: Invest in capacity building at IITs, IMD and state agencies; set up certified cloud-seeding operator courses and simulation facilities.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Monitoring and Attribution:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Lack of standard post-seeding evaluation metrics undermines credibility.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Way Forward: Mandate pre-defined indicators (mm rainfall, PM reduction, reservoir inflow), deploy automated sensor networks and publish independent audits.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Over-reliance on Technology instead of Source Control:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Using seeding to \u201cfix\u201d pollution or water scarcity can distract from emission control and conservation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Way Forward: Make seeding explicitly subordinate to emissions reduction and integrated water resource management in policy documents; fund source control concurrently.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Cloud Seeding Applications<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The major applications of Cloud Seeding has been listed below:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Agriculture and Drought Relief:<\/strong> Boost rainfall in arid zones, extend growing seasons and support crop yield. Indian studies show up to 20 % increase in rainfall in Karnataka\u2019s Linganamakki area.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Water Reservoir Top-up:<\/strong> Boost snowfall or rain in catchment areas to ensure reservoir inflows.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Hail Suppression<\/strong>: Seeding before hail storms to reduce damage to crops.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Air Pollution Mitigation:<\/strong> Inducing rain to remove PM2.5 and PM10 from urban air, e.g., Delhi\u2019s seeding pilot for pollution control.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Fog and Aviation Safety<\/strong>: Modify low clouds to reduce fog and improve visibility at airports in Himalayan regions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Climate Adaptation:<\/strong> Emerging use in climate resilience though effect remains uncertain.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Cloud Seeding in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In India, cloud seeding has been trialled since the 1970s, e.g., experiments by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) showed up to 24% rain increase in certain warm-cloud seeding studies in Maharashtra. More recently, states like Delhi (~\u20b93.21 crore pilot) and Rajasthan (drone-based seeding) have explored artificial rain for pollution control and agricultural yield enhancement. Below is a consolidated, more detailed chronology of India\u2019s major cloud-seeding projects and experiments, with aims and reported outcomes.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>RCPR and Early Experiments (1957-1966)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conducted by: Early government experiments (various states).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Purpose: Proof-of-concept for monsoon augmentation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Methods\/ Agents: Aircraft and ground flares (AgI); mixed results documented.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Mumbai \/ <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/difference-between-western-ghats-and-eastern-ghats\/\" target=\"_blank\">Western Ghats<\/a> Trials (1973-79)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conducted by: IITM \/ Mumbai area trials.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Purpose: Test monsoon enhancement over urban\/ western ghats.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Outcome: Data added to operational knowledge; effects variable.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Karnataka \/ Linganamakki Catchment (Warm-cloud trials, 1990s-2000s)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conducted by: Regional experiments with IITM involvement.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Purpose: Increase reservoir inflow for hydropower\/agriculture.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reported Impact: Studies cited localized increases (~20%) under favourable conditions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>CAIPEEX (2018-2019 and follow-ons)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conducted by: Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), MoES.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Purpose: Scientific evaluation of hygroscopic seeding in convective clouds; derive guidelines for rain-shadow regions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Methods: Specially hired research aircraft, microphysical instrumentation and modelling.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Impact: Improved protocols and region-specific guidance; CAIPEEX produced evidence that hygroscopic seeding can be effective in warm convective systems when properly targeted.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>State Pilot Programs (2024-2025)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Delhi (2025): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Short pilot focused on pollution mitigation via five seeding trials (IIT-Kanpur\/ Delhi Govt). Budget ~\u20b93.21 crore; trials conditional on IMD-verified windows and DGCA clearance. Early media reporting and government releases document attempts; expert commentary cautions limited winter cloud availability and limited long-term pollution benefit.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Rajasthan Drone Project (Aug 2025):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> First large-scale drone swarm demonstration near Ramgarh Dam, ~60 drones in coordinated operation; objective to revive reservoirs and test drone deployment at scale. Early news coverage highlights operational novelty and aims for drought relief.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Other Smaller Projects and Local Trials<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Several state agriculture departments and water bodies have run limited trials with mixed reporting; many focused on short-term reservoir top-up or hail suppression. Data quality and peer-review documentation vary.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><b>Cloud Seeding Global Aspects<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Several countries have sustained cloud-seeding programmes with different objectives and levels of evidence. Below are internationally referenced best-practice examples and lessons:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><b> China- Large-scale Operational Programme (Nationwide)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Practice: Massive aircraft and ground generator operations to increase rainfall for agriculture, water security and major events (e.g., Olympics). China invests heavily in seeding as a complement to reservoir management. Reports indicate both large-scale deployment and opaque data release; Chinese programmes demonstrate the scale possible but highlight transparency concerns.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><b> United States- State-level Programs (Colorado, Wyoming, California)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Practice: State water managers run long-term alpine\/snowpack seeding (silver iodide) to augment snowmelt for reservoirs; operations follow defined seasons and monitoring. The U.S. GAO (2024) concluded data are inconsistent and recommended standardized monitoring, a model for rigorous evaluation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><b> Thailand- Royal Rainmaking Project<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Practice: Since 1955, the Royal Rainmaking Project conducts aircraft seeding across agricultural zones; operational experience and institutional continuity are strengths. Thailand\u2019s program is often cited for sustained operational design and integration with agricultural calendars.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li><b> Australia- Targeted Drought Relief Trials<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Practice: Smaller, scientifically monitored trials targeting water catchments; emphasis on peer-reviewed evaluation and limited scale-up unless proven reproducible. Good example for staged R&amp;D-to-operation transition.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li><b> UAE\/ Oman- Cloud Seeding for Water Security<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Practice: Gulf states use cloud seeding to increase rainfall over arid zones; operate under data-sharing pacts and deploy advanced monitoring to validate outcomes. Demonstrates application in water-scarce, high-value contexts.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Cloud Seeding UPSC<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In late October 2025, the New Delhi government launched its first Cloud Seeding trials to combat winter smog, deploying aircraft from Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur to disperse silver-iodide flares over north-west Delhi. Authorities expect rainfall within \u201c15 minutes to four hours\u201d of seeding, aiming to cut PM2.5 levels by up to 50%. However, meteorologists warned that the programme\u2019s success hinges on suitable cloud conditions, a challenge in Delhi\u2019s winter climate.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique to enhance rainfall. Delhi\u2019s 2025 trials aimed to reduce pollution, though success depends on suitable cloud conditions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":70896,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[786],"tags":[1513,3446],"class_list":{"0":"post-70861","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general-studies","8":"tag-cloud-seeding","9":"tag-cloud-seeding-delhi","10":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70861","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70861"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70861\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/70896"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70861"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70861"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=70861"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}