India's capital territory of Delhi is keen to use artificial rain to fight air pollution this year, its Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Tuesday, as deteriorating air quality in the region led to an increase in respiratory illnesses.

With the air quality reeling under 'very poor' category in the national capital for several days and the average AQI falling in the 300- 400 range, city residents have started complaining of breathing difficulty,

While the overall AQI remained in the ‘very poor’ category, the number of stations that recorded ‘severe’ AQI of 400 and above were fewer on Wednesday.