Delhi Continues to Battle Haze and Very Poor Air Quality
Delhi woke up to persistent haze and cloudy skies on Tuesday, with 27 of 38 air quality monitoring stations reporting 'very poor' AQI readings above 300; Siri Fort and Wazirpur were the worst affected. The city's AQI was 305, indicating prolonged exposure may cause respiratory discomfort. The government is preparing for a cloud-seeding operation to induce artificial rain, pending improved visibility at the Kanpur airbase. Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan remains in effect due to the ongoing air crisis.
Delhi’s air quality remains in the 'very poor' category, with the city recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 305 on Tuesday morning. According to the Central Pollution Control Board’s Sameer app, 27 out of 38 monitoring stations recorded AQI levels above 300, with Siri Fort and Wazirpur topping the list at 351 and 342, respectively. The IMD reported a minimum temperature of 20°C, about 3.9 degrees above normal, with a maximum expected around 28°C and humidity at 95% in the morning. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced plans for a cloud-seeding operation to induce artificial rainfall, aiming to settle airborne pollutants and provide some relief from pollution. However, the operation is contingent on improved visibility at the Kanpur airbase, which currently stands at 2,000 metres—shy of the 5,000 metres required for aircraft takeoff. If conditions improve, cloud seeding could occur between 12:30 pm and 1 pm today. The article also clarifies the CPCB’s AQI categories and notes that the city has faced persistent poor air quality post-Diwali, with Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan remaining in effect. The cloud-seeding process involves dispersing silver iodide or salt-based compounds into clouds via aircraft to trigger rainfall, potentially providing temporary respite from the pollution crisis.
