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In Hindu mythology, mortals prayed and performed elaborate rituals to please Indra, the god of rain. Legend has it that musician Tansen’s melodious voice could summon showers from cloudless skies. Ordinary mortals, however, have neither the Ashvamedha yagna nor Tansen’s tenor. In modern India, a new kind of rainmaker relies on science, not song to coax moisture from the sky. While Dilliwalas’ hopes of a downpour may have dried up after this week’s failed experiment, this handful of rainmakers remain convinced that the science of cloud seeding works – when used the right way. Cloud seeding is an 80-year-old technique of weather modification that involves dispersing particles like silver iodide or calcium chloride into moisture-bearing clouds to stimulate rainfall. Research has shown that it can enhance rain by 18-46% and help prevent drought, water scarcity and related problems. It has been used with varying degrees of success across the world, particularly in China and the US. In India, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, has conducted cloud seeding experiments and research since the 1970s, but it was only in 2003 that states began on-ground experiments in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu for rain enhancement. This is the first time cloud seeding has been used to tackle pollution. Bengaluru-based Agni Aero Sports Adventure Academy has worked with Maharashtra, Andhra and Rajasthan for rain enhancement since 2003. Its founder Arvind Sharma, a trained microlight aviator, says the Delhi experiment may have done more harm than good. “Cloud seeding cannot create rain. It can enhance rain under specific weather conditions including cloud formation and moisture. It is no surprise that the project has failed,” he says. Helmed by Sharma, the company has run projects in rain-shadow areas of Andhra and Maharashtra that come with their own set of challenges. “Pilots are trained to stay away from turbulence to protect passengers and the craft. In cloud seeding, we not only go seeking turbulence but also go right into the clouds,” Sharma says, explaining how the plane needs to be at close range to inject the clouds with the chemical. Prakash Koliwad, founder of Kyathi Climate, which has run projects with IITM Pune and worked on several missions in Maharashtra and Karnataka between 2015 and 2019, says there has been 30 years of research in the field, establishing it as sound science. He argues that if used well, it is not as exorbitant as it is being made out to be. “The Maharashtra govt spends Rs 4,000-5,000 crore in drought relief every year and must combat problems like farmer distress and suicide. If they spend 0.1-0.2% of that amount at the beginning of the monsoon season to enhance rainfall, they will no longer have to face angry farmers or distress,” he says. So why has this technique not become more popular? Suman Akkaraju, CEO of Siri Aviations, attributes it to lack of awareness. “Cloud seeding is still viewed as an experimental approach by many. Awareness, regulatory clearances, and public understanding take time. But with more proven outcomes and better data, adoption is slowly increasing.” The Delhi govt is reported to have spent Rs 65 lakh a day, while projects that run for several months can cost Rs 30-40 crore. A more cost-effective method was recently deployed by Rajasthan, billed as India’s first drone-based cloud seeding. However, that too, has a patchy track record. In Aug-Sept this year, the govt used drones to create artificial rain to revive Ramgarh lake with no success. Though a bit of a damp (or dry) squib in India, the technology has found favour abroad. The first pioneering attempt was documented by Vincent Schaefer in 1946, who used dry ice to increase snowfall. The US has used cloud seeding in mountainous areas since the 1950s to increase snowfall and even deployed it in Operation Popeye, a secret five-year US military programme during the Vietnam War, meant to lengthen the monsoon season and disrupt enemy movement. Cloud seeding was also used at the 1980 Moscow and 2008 Beijing Olympics, though it wasn’t to make it rain but to prevent it. It was reportedly used even at the 2012 wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. China and UAE have invested heavily to tackle drought. Back home, environmental experts have dismissed the cloud seeding exercise as “theatrics” that fail to address the root causes of air pollution. Gufran Beig, of the National Institute of Advanced Studies and founder-director of SAFAR, says cloud seeding is a highly specialised scientific project that must be executed with care. “Even in the most favourable conditions, the probability of success is 50-60%, which is before and post-monsoon season. The probability at this time of year goes down to 10%,” he says. Go to Source
