₹1.2 crore Delhi rain experiment ends dry, AAP mocks with ‘Lord Indra’ swipe
New Delhi– Delhi’s first artificial rain experiment ended dry on Tuesday despite a ₹1.2 crore investment and months of preparation. The BJP-led government said more trials are planned to test the technique further, even as air quality remained in the “very poor” range.
The exercise began around 2 p.m. when a small Cessna aircraft operated by IIT Kanpur took off over northwest Delhi. It fired silver iodide flares into clouds above Burari and surrounding areas. Later, the second round covered Mayur Vihar, Noida, and parts of outer Delhi like Badli. The two flights released 16 flares in total—eight in each trial.
Officials said the project aimed to trigger light rain to help settle pollutants hanging over the city. The Delhi Cabinet had approved ₹3.21 crore for five trials, with each attempt costing nearly ₹64 lakh. Weather delays and persistent monsoon showers forced the postponement of earlier trials planned for May and September.
Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa called the day’s trials a “scientific success” despite no visible rain. “Delhi has taken a science-first step to tackle pollution. Each trial helps us understand how much rain can be triggered under real humidity conditions,” Sirsa said.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), humidity levels over Delhi on Tuesday hovered between 15 and 20 percent—too low for effective cloud formation. A Delhi government report confirmed the low moisture content, noting that the effort still helped reduce particulate matter in targeted zones.
Sirsa said up to ten more trials are planned in coming days. He added that since winds are moving northward, cloud-seeding aircraft will focus on those areas next.
The experiment, however, quickly turned political. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) mocked the government for “wasting money” on a day when IMD had already predicted possible rain. AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj held a press conference, asking whether “Lord Indra” would come down to explain if showers were natural or artificial.
As the Bollywood song “Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate” played in the background, Bharadwaj displayed placards accusing the BJP of running “fraudulent” environmental programs. “Why conduct trials when rain was already forecast?” he asked, sharing videos on X from his visit to parts of the city.
The controversy revived memories of AAP’s own failed rain plan from last winter. Then, the party claimed the BJP-led central government blocked flight permissions for the same project. Sirsa countered that AAP only talked about solutions but never acted.
By evening, IMD confirmed that no measurable rainfall occurred across Delhi. Sirsa maintained optimism, saying rain could still occur within four hours of the trials, though humidity remained too low.
For now, Delhi’s skies stay dry, its air still heavy, and its politics stormy—leaving the city waiting for both rain and results.
