Delhi's Pollution War: Is Cloud Seeding a Solution or a ₹30-Crore Political Gimmick?

This special report examines the controversy around using cloud seeding to tackle Delhi's severe air pollution, featuring Professor Manindra Agarwal of IIT Kanpur and policy expert Zerreen of the Institute of Governance and Sustainable Development. 'You're trying to solve for the symptoms rather than solving for the underlying disease,' argues Zerreen, questioning the high-cost experiment. The discussion delves into IIT Kanpur's recent trial, which, despite not producing rain due to low moisture, showed a 5-15% drop in PM2.5 and PM10 levels. The debate also highlights the political slugfest, with the BJP government's current efforts contrasted with the AAP's 2023 proposal and a 2024 Union Ministry report questioning the method's feasibility. At an estimated cost of 30 crores for a winter season, the central conflict remains whether this technological gamble is a viable short-term fix or a distraction from crucial long-term policy reforms.