Editorial: Cloud seeding under a cloud

The Delhi government must be consistent in implementing long-term anti-pollution measures rather than trying to nudge clouds to produce rain

Given the extent of air pollution in Delhi, the cloud seeding procedure can barely make a dent, let alone resolve the pollution problem. The recent attempt by the Delhi government to reduce pollution by inducing artificial rains came to nought. This is not surprising, because global experience shows that cloud seeding only offers conditional, short-term relief and is largely ineffective in checking pollution. The major constraint in Delhi, one of the most polluted cities in the world, is the lack of rain-bearing clouds during the pollution-prone season from October to December, when monsoon clouds retreat and atmospheric moisture is low. As a result,