Delhi's ₹25Cr Gamble: Govt Ignored Expert Warnings on Failed Cloud Seeding Plan

This special report examines the controversy surrounding the Delhi government's estimated ₹25 crore cloud seeding project, spearheaded by figures like Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, intended to combat pollution. In a December 2024 written reply to the Rajya Sabha, the Union Environment Ministry, quoting experts, had noted that effective cloud seeding requires specific conditions 'generally absent during Delhi's cold and dry winter months' and flagged concerns about 'uncertainties, efficacy, and potential adverse effects of the chemicals'. The programme delves into why the project proceeded despite advice against it from three central agencies—CAQM, CPCB, and IMD—and explores the political fallout, including the Aam Aadmi Party's criticism of a plan they themselves had proposed under Arvind Kejriwal in 2023. We analyse the science, the politics, and the aftermath of this expensive experiment.