The overall air quality index was recorded at 352, which falls in the 'very poor' category, according Central Pollution Control Board data.
As the situation of pollution in Delhi remains dismal with air quality plummeting every day, the authorities are likely to seed clouds to induce artificial rain this week to wash away toxic pollutants in the air. Its air quality has deteriorated severely in the past three weeks.
Union Minister Mahesh Sharma was quoted as saying to a news agency that the Centre will notify inducing artificial rain over Delhi if the pollution gets worse. "Increasing menace of air pollution is a big concern for a developing country like India. The Centre has decided that if the air quality will cross 500 mark then they will ask authorities to induce artificial rain or cloud seeding over the capital. Our scientists and authorities are working round the clock to curb this. All requisite preparation for artificial rains are underway," he reportedly said.
Cloud seeding is the process of combining different kinds of chemical agents, including silver iodide, dry ice and even common table salt, with existing clouds in an effort to thicken them and increase the chance of rainfall. The weathermen are monitoring conditions to become favourable for creating artificial rain, which can be induced in 24 hours, a senior official said.
Explaining the exercise, "We can do cloud seeding only if there is a cloud. I think India Meteorological Department (IMD) has to see if its feasible and when can it be done if at all," said CK Mishra, secretary.
Delhi's air quality was recorded in the 'very poor' category on November 20 due to humidity and slow wind speed.
The overall air quality index was recorded at 352, which falls in the 'very poor' category, according Central Pollution Control Board data.
In 2016, the government tried to explore the possibility of cloud seeding for artificial rain but the plan never worked out.
Last year, the government had proposed the possibility of reducing dust by watering Delhi from a helicopter to Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan.
Meanwhile, the overall air quality in the national capital was in the 'very poor' category on Tuesday, while some areas in the city experienced 'severe' pollution due to low wind speed, which is unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants, authorities said.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the overall air quality index in the city was recorded at 372, which falls in the 'very poor' category.Ashok Vihar, Anand Vihar, Bawana, Mundaka, Rohini, Sonia Vihar and Wazirpur, all recorded 'severe' air quality while 21 areas recorded 'very poor' air quality, it said. At 396, the overall air quality of Ghaziabad was the worst in the National Capital Region (NCR), just points below severe category. Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Greater Noida too recorded 'very poor' overall air quality.
On Tuesday, the PM2.5 particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres level was recorded at 220, while the PM10 level was recorded at 369, the CPCB data said.According to the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR), air quality in the national capital is expected to remain in the 'very poor' category for the next two to three days."At present, winds are unfavourable for dispersion but it may increase slightly to favour dispersion. Humidity is still high which is unfavourable. Fire counts from stubble burning declined and will have marginal impact," the SAFAR said in a report.
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