Air pollution has once again gripped Delhi and several parts of North India, with air quality levels dropping sharply after Diwali. Breathing has become difficult in many areas as winter starts to set in.
Delhi’s Air Still ‘Very Poor’
According to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) Sameer app, 23 of Delhi’s 38 monitoring stations recorded air quality in the “very poor” category, while 14 showed “poor” levels. Experts warn that pollution is likely to worsen further as the weather gets colder.
Artificial Rain to Improve Air
To help clear the toxic air, Delhi carried out its first cloud-seeding test flight on Thursday. The aim is to create artificial rain to wash away pollutants. The actual artificial rain is expected between October 28 and 30, depending on suitable cloud conditions.
Haryana’s Air Quality Also Falling
Haryana is facing a similar problem. According to CPCB data, five cities from Haryana — Bahadurgarh, Dharuhera, Jind, Rohtak, and Faridabad — were among India’s ten most polluted cities on Thursday.
Bahadurgarh: AQI 325
Dharuhera: AQI 322
Jind: AQI 302 (crossed 400 on Wednesday night)
Rohtak: AQI 299
Faridabad: AQI 298
Charkhi Dadri: AQI 268
Ambala ranked just outside the top 10, with an AQI of 253.
