Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Wednesday announced that the next cloud-seeding trial in the national capital will be conducted once moisture levels rise above the current 10–15 percent.
“According to the IMD, there is still 10 to 15 percent moisture. Yesterday, our trial was conducted at this level, and the next trial will be held once moisture exceeds that threshold. The IMD expects moisture to increase after 4:00 PM, and as soon as the report arrives, the next trial will begin immediately,” Sirsa told ANI.
Criticising the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, Sirsa said, “A government that failed for ten years cannot praise us. They couldn’t clean water, couldn’t improve air quality, and couldn’t ensure proper conditions for cloud seeding. They’ll try to obstruct everything we do.”
The AAP responded sharply. Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar alleged that the BJP government was focused on optics and headline management. “It’s shameful that yesterday the BJP falsely claimed to have induced rain in Karol Bagh, Mayur Vihar, and Burari. Not a single drop fell. Light rain can occur naturally, but the BJP wants credit for it. They’ve also committed a major scam in cloud seeding and have no clear understanding of what measures are required,” she said.
Wednesday’s cloud-seeding operation in Delhi was put on hold due to insufficient cloud moisture.
A statement from IIT Kanpur noted that cloud seeding is highly dependent on the right atmospheric conditions. “While rainfall could not be triggered yesterday as moisture levels were around 15–20 percent, the trial provided valuable insights,” the statement said.
IIT Kanpur reported that monitoring stations across Delhi captured real-time changes in particulate matter and moisture levels. The data indicated a 6–10 percent reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations, showing that even under limited moisture, cloud seeding can improve air quality.
“These observations help strengthen planning for future operations and identify conditions where cloud seeding can deliver maximum benefit. Such learnings are crucial for more effective deployments ahead,” IIT Kanpur added.
The Delhi government has already completed two consecutive cloud-seeding operations as part of its comprehensive air quality management strategy. Cloud seeding is an advanced weather modification technique designed to trigger or enhance rainfall by introducing particles such as silver iodide or sodium chloride into suitable clouds using aircraft or other methods.
