AAP vs BJP Over Delhi's Cloud Seeding: IIT-K Pauses Delhi's Artificial Rain Trial

This special report covers the suspension of IIT Kanpur's ambitious cloud seeding trial in Delhi, aimed at curbing severe air pollution, and the political controversy it has ignited between BJP's Manjinder Singh Sirsa and AAP Minister Sourabh Bharadwaj. 'Any failure on the basis of a test is a success in itself,' stated Manjinder Singh Sirsa, defending the exercise against criticism. The project was put on hold after initial trials failed to produce rain, a result attributed to insufficient atmospheric moisture—recorded at just 10-20% when over 50% is considered necessary for the procedure to be effective. While the AAP government's Sourabh Bharadwaj attacked Sirsa's scientific credibility, Sirsa maintained that the initiative was a historic and necessary scientific experiment to determine if rainfall could be induced in low-moisture winter conditions to fight pollution. The report delves into the science, the political blame game, and the uncertain future of this anti-pollution measure.