NEW DELHI, Nov 5 (Reuters) - 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.

The Supreme Court also rapped the Delhi government on Monday and demanded to know how the ban on firecrackers was not fully implemented.

Environment Minister Gopal Rai stated that 88% of the pollution-related complaints submitted via the Green Delhi App have been addressed.

In areas like Punjabi Bagh, Wazirpur, Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Jahangirpuri, Mundka, Rohini, Moti Bagh, and Patparganj, the air quality worsened with AQI hit the ‘severe’ category.

Delhiites continued to breathe toxic air on Tuesday as the air quality edged closer to the severe zone in some areas.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed at least 11 of Delhi’s 40 ambient air quality monitoring stations recorded pollution in the severe range at 8am