Jairam Ramesh Criticizes Delhi Government's Rs 34 Crore Winter Cloud Seeding Experiment
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh condemned the Delhi government's Rs 34 crore expenditure on winter cloud seeding to improve air quality, citing expert advice against the initiative. Despite the government's claim of slight localized improvements, Ramesh referenced agencies including the Commission for Air Quality Management and an IIT Delhi report stating the method's ineffectiveness in significantly improving Delhi's pollution.
Jairam Ramesh publicly criticized the Delhi government's decision to spend Rs 34 crore on a winter cloud seeding experiment intended to enhance air quality. He highlighted that by December 5, 2024, key agencies such as the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCT, Central Pollution Control Board, and Indian Meteorological Department had all advised against winter cloud seeding as a measure for pollution control in Delhi. Furthermore, he referenced a detailed October 31, 2025 report from the Centre for Atmospheric Sciences at IIT Delhi, which concluded that winter cloud seeding would not meaningfully improve Delhi’s air quality and called the government's claim of obtaining a 'slight improvement in a limited area for a day or two' a 'cruel joke.' The Delhi government’s conducted cloud seeding operations—managed with IIT Kanpur involvement—faced challenges due to insufficient atmospheric moisture, leading to a postponed attempt and results showing only a temporary 6 to 10 percent reduction in particulate matter under less than ideal conditions. These mixed outcomes contrast with widespread scientific skepticism on cloud seeding's efficacy as a pollution mitigation tool in Delhi, as confirmed by expert agencies and IIT reports. The criticism underscores the debate on the cost-effectiveness and scientific validity of cloud seeding as an air quality management strategy in the capital.
