Delhi Pollution: Air quality ‘poor’ again; AQI recorded at 250

The national capital on Tuesday woke up to a ‘poor’ air quality. At the Lodhi Road area, the Air Quality Index (AQI) PM 2.5 was at 248 (poor category) and PM 10 at 250 (poor category), according to the news agency ANI. 

“According to the Air Quality Index (AQI) data, major pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 are at 248 and 250 respectively, in Lodhi Road. Both fall in 'Poor' category,” ANI tweeted.

Delhi: According to the Air Quality Index (AQI) data, major pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 are at 248 and 250 respectively, in Lodhi Road. Both fall in 'Poor' category. pic.twitter.com/toGPQK69Il

— ANI (@ANI) November 27, 2018

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Delhi is reeling under the menace of air pollution for the past couple of years. The region faced a major air quality crisis last year when severe pollution level forced the shutdown of schools and colleges. 

Earlier, Union Environment Minister Mahesh Sharma announced to induce artificial rain to wash away toxic pollutants from the air. Cloud seeding for artificial rain would be done once the meteorological conditions are stable. 

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.

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In 2016, the government tried to explore the possibility of cloud seeding for artificial rain but the plan never worked out

AQI categories:

1. An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’
2. AQI between 51 and 100 is ‘satisfactory’
3. AQI between 101 and 200 is ‘moderate’
4. AQI between 201 and 300 is ‘poor’
5. AQI between 301 and 400 is ‘very poor’