Air quality in India’s capital, Delhi, remained in the ‘severe’ category on Friday, with pollution levels exceeding 450 at some monitoring stations, according to official data.
According to real-time data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), one monitoring station recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 488 out of 500 on Friday morning, while several others in the capital recorded readings hovering above 400 by the afternoon.
The AQI is divided into several categories, with the ‘severe’ level ranging from 401 to 500.
According to Swiss group IQAir, which recorded an AQI reading of 186, Delhi ranked as the world’s most polluted city on Friday.
The Swiss and Indian readings usually differ because of differences in their respective methodologies.
On Friday morning, a thick blanket of smog shrouded the city amid worsening pollution levels. Last week, Delhi recorded its most polluted Diwali in five years, with an average AQI of 376.
Amid worsening air quality, authorities in Delhi are also planning cloud seeding to combat rising air pollution levels.
“These trials are continuous; they are part of an ongoing study. Once the study yields positive results and reaches completion, we will provide information on how and when cloud seeding will be conducted, and when it might lead to rainfall,” said Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, adding that the government is “consistently implementing all necessary measures.”
Air pollution has remained a persistent problem in New Delhi, particularly during the winter months, when farmers in neighbouring states burn crop residue. The resulting emissions, coupled with pollution from coal-fired power plants, industries and vehicular traffic, further degrade the city’s air quality.