• Source:ANI
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Air Pollution News Today: Residents of the national capital, who have been breathing in toxic air for the past three weeks, were greatly relieved after Delhi received light rain on Saturday. However, Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) is still classified as a 'Poor' category, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) stated on Sunday. The AQI in Anand Vihar stood at 266, in RK Puram it was at 241, in Punjabi Bagh at 233 and in ITO at 227 this morning.

On Saturday, Delhiites woke up to clear, blue skies and abundant sunshine, marking a welcome relief from the suffocating haze that persisted for around two weeks. At 7:00 AM, the AQI stood at 219, which is a marked improvement compared to Thursday's 24-hour average AQI of 437.

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The western disturbance led to rain over most parts of northwest India, including Punjab and Haryana, effectively reducing the contribution of smoke from stubble burning to Delhi's air pollution.

Delhi Govt Plans To Induce Artificial Rain

The Delhi government intends to use cloud seeding to create artificial rain on November 20–21 in response to the increasing levels of air pollution. Meanwhile, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Friday said the government has postponed the implementation of the odd-even car rationing scheme as there has been a notable improvement in the city's air quality due to the rain.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', 401 and 450 'severe' and above 450 'severe plus.