Delhi Breathes Easier As Air Improves From ‘Very Poor’ To ‘Poor’; Cloud Seeding Paused

Delhi’s air quality improved slightly on Friday, shifting from ‘very poor’ to ‘poor’. However, pollution remains high as cloud seeding trials were paused due to low moisture levels.

Delhi Air Quality Improves from ‘Very Poor’ to ‘Poor’; Seeding Paused

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New Delhi’s air quality saw a slight improvement on Friday morning, with the city recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 288 at 6 am, according to data from the Sameer app run by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). This marks an improvement from Thursday’s reading of 373, when the capital was engulfed in thick haze and smog.

Despite the drop, pollution levels in several parts of Delhi remained in the ‘very poor’ category. Monitoring stations at Anand Vihar and Bawana reported AQI levels of 305 and 363 respectively, while Burari Crossing recorded 275 and Chandni Chowk stood at 203, both falling in the ‘poor’ category.

Pollution Levels Still a Concern Across Key Areas

The Air Quality Index measures the concentration of major pollutants such as PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulphur dioxide (SO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O₃). In India, the AQI scale is divided into six bands: Good (0–50), Satisfactory (51–100), Moderate (101–200), Poor (201–300), Very Poor (301–400), and Severe (401–500). Higher readings indicate increasing levels of pollution and corresponding health risks.

On Thursday, the city’s air had deteriorated to the ‘severe’ category, with visibility dropping sharply in several areas, including Kartavya Path, Anand Vihar, Burari, and Akshardham, where a dense layer of smog blanketed the morning sky.

Cloud Seeding Experiments Paused After Initial Setback

Efforts to improve the situation through cloud seeding have temporarily been paused. The experiment, conducted earlier this week, failed to deliver the desired results due to a lack of sufficient moisture in the clouds, according to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur.

Delhi’s Environment Minister, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, stated that further attempts at cloud seeding would be made once atmospheric moisture levels rise beyond the current 10–15 per cent range.

“According to the IMD, there is still 10–15 per cent moisture. Our trial was carried out at that level yesterday, and the next attempt will be conducted once the moisture increases. IMD forecasts suggest an improvement after 4 pm, and once the updated report is received, the next trial will begin immediately,” Sirsa told ANI.

While Delhiites may have experienced a slight respite on Friday, experts warn that air quality could worsen again as winter progresses, calling for sustained measures to tackle the city’s persistent pollution crisis.