New Delhi, Nov. 3 -- Recently cloud seeding was done by IIT Kanpur researchers over the Indian capital to produce artificial rain so as to reduce annual airborne pollution in the autumn and winter months. It failed miserably and did not produce any rain. Besides, the experiment cost about Rs. 3 to 4 crores.

Similarly, efforts of cloud seeding all over the world have hardly produced any rain on demand and yet it is done regularly because politicians get major mileage by announcing it and substantial money for cloud seeding is distributed among their cronies. It is a win-win situation for both politicians and their cronies.

Genesis of cloud seeding

Cloud seeding was pioneered in the US in the early 1940s to produce snow and rain for recr...