A cloud seeding experiment conducted in Delhi’s Burari area has triggered political controversy after AAP leader and local MLA Sanjeev Jha alleged that the trial was carried out without notifying residents or public representatives. Jha claimed that the move violated standard operating procedures and raised transparency and safety concerns.
The experiment, conducted by IIT Kanpur as part of Delhi’s broader pollution-control initiative, aimed to induce artificial rainfall using silver iodide and sodium chloride particles. However, due to insufficient atmospheric moisture, no rainfall occurred.
Jha criticised the government’s handling of the exercise, saying that even as the area’s MLA, he was kept uninformed about the trial. “The government made a spectacle of events like the Rafale jet arrival, but when it comes to environmental interventions affecting people’s health, everything is done in secrecy,” he said. He also demanded a full disclosure of the chemicals used and their potential environmental impacts.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta defended the trial, stating it was part of Delhi’s ongoing efforts to combat pollution through science-driven methods. Officials from IIT Kanpur confirmed that the experiment was purely technical and no harmful substances were released in concentrations that could pose health risks.
Cloud seeding has been explored globally as a tool to enhance rainfall and reduce air pollution, but experts caution that it remains an uncertain and complex technology. Environmental scientists argue that while such measures may help temporarily, long-term solutions to Delhi’s pollution lie in controlling emissions, improving waste management, and strengthening public health preparedness during high-smog periods.
As debates intensify, residents in Burari and other parts of Delhi await clearer communication and transparency on future weather-modification trials.