Toxic smog eases as rain lashes Delhi, more showers likely later today

Parts of Delhi-NCR received light rainfall on Thursday night and early on Friday morning, bringing much-needed relief from the severe air pollution that was engulfing the national capital for the past few days. The visuals from Kartavya Path and the Delhi-Noida border showed light to moderate-intensity rain showers. The rainfall in the national capital comes amid the Delhi government’s ongoing efforts to implement the idea of ‘artificial rain’ to curtail the grave pollution situation in the city. On Thursday, the Delhi government decided to carry out ‘artificial rain’ to combat the air pollution in the city, said officials. The Delhi government has also fielded ministers to ensure the implementation of anti-pollution measures in the national capital. As part of the inspection process, several Delhi ministers were seen on Thursday inspecting different areas and borders connecting Delhi to neighbouring states. Currently, Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has been implemented in the national capital after the city’s air quality plummeted to the ‘Severe Plus’ category. Schools in Delhi and Noida have been shut for the last week to prevent children from being exposed to toxic air.