Use cloud seeding to induce artificial rain: HC tells Centre, State

A division bench comprising Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice SS Sundar, before whom a plea seeking to take effective steps to store water in a war footing manner in TN came up, said, “Since rainfall has become scanty and ground water is getting depleted, water scarcity has become more acute in India.”

“United Nations predicts 14% of the world population would encounter water scarcity in 2025. Therefore, both the Central and the State governments must use new methods, like cloud seeding to tackle water scarcity,” the bench added.

However, noting that this court is unable to know the effectiveness of such exercises, the bench recorded certain successful methods wherein Jeff Dilley, Director of Weather Modification at the Desert Research Institute in Renow claimed in 2016 that new technology and research have produced reliable result that make cloud seeding a dependable and affordable water supply alternative.

In 1998, the American Meteorologists Society held precipitation from super cold orographic clouds and the clouds with development with mountains seasonally increased by about 10%. Similarly, it was reported that China produced 55 billion tons of artificial rain a year and very recently on March 22, 2019, Sri Lanka successfully conducted a test on artificial rain in the tea growing mountain region where hydro-electric power is generated in a bid to avoid possible power cuts, the bench added.

Based on this, the bench sought both the Central and State governments to come out with a response as to why they should not try modern artificial rain making methods including ‘Cloud Seeding’ to generate rain and as to why both the governments should not establish more desalination plants in various coastal districts to tackle the drinking water scarcity.

The bench also sought to know as why the government has failed to tie up with corporates in this regard as part of corporate social responsibility.