Dehli's cloud seeding trials 'costly'

India's efforts to combat air pollution by using cloud seeding in its sprawling capital New Delhi appear to have fallen flat, with scientists and activists questioning the effectiveness of the move.

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Cloud seeding involves spraying particles such as silver iodide and salt into clouds from aircraft to trigger rain, that can wash pollutants from the air.

Delhi authorities, working with the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, began trials last week using a Cessna aircraft over parts of the city.

But officials said the first trials produced very little rainfall because of thin cloud cover.

"This will never ever do the job, it's an illusion," said Bhavreen Kandhari, an environmental campaigner in Delhi. "Only when we clean up sources of air pollution can we control it."

The government has spent around $364 000 (about R6.3 million) on the trials, according to local media reports.