Hazy skies persist but Delhi AQI improves slightly, still ‘poor’; cloud seeding on hold

DElhi’s transmit lineament improved more or less on fri as the subject capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 288 at 6 am, compared to 373 a day earlier, data from the Sameer app developed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed.Notably, the cloud seeding trials have been put on hold in the national capital due to insufficient moisture in the clouds and are scheduled to be conducted again in the coming days.ALSO READ | Hazy picture: Delhi’s sharp AQI spike puts data under spotlightAccording to data from the app, the monitoring stations at Anand Vihar reported an AQI of 305 and Bawana 363, falling in the ‘very poor’ air quality category. Meanwhile, some other monitoring stations such as Burari Crossing (275) and Chandni Chowk (203) recorded ‘poor’ air quality.An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51–100 'satisfactory', 101–200 'moderate', 201–300 'poor', 301–400 'very poor', and 401–500 'severe'.On Thursday, the air quality in the national capital turned ‘severe’ with an AQI reading of 373 as thick haze and smog enveloped the city, reducing visibility across the region. Several areas, including Kartavya Path, Anand Vihar, Burari and Akshardham, were blanketed in fog during the early morning hours.Delhi cloud seedingMeanwhile, the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur said on Wednesday that the next cloud seeding trials have been put on hold due to “insufficient moisture in the clouds”. Notably, the cloud seeding attempts on Tuesday did not produce the desired results in the national capital.Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that the next cloud seeding attempts would be held in the coming days when the moisture level increases well beyond the current reading of 10 to 15 per cent.“According to the IMD, there is still 10 to 15 per cent moisture. Yesterday, our trial was conducted at 10 to 15 per cent moisture, and now the next trial will be held when the moisture exceeds that level. As per IMD, the moisture is expected to increase further after 4 pm. Once the moisture report arrives, the next trial will begin immediately,” he told ANI on Wednesday.Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in the national capital, saying that the government had failed. AAP convener and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal quoted a media report that asked if the cloud seeding trial had failed and wrote on X, “Actually, all the engines of this government have failed. This government itself has completely failed.”