Story highlights A machine sprays atomized water up to 230 feet into the air

It aims to merge with dust particles and replicate effects of rain to lower pollution level

New Delhi (CNN) As it grapples with toxic smog, the Delhi government has turned to an unusual solution to tackle its air pollution problem.

Water mist cannons, or "anti-smog guns," have been tested in Anand Vihar, an area in northern Delhi that's one of the Indian capital's most polluted regions.

A machine is connected to a water tank and mounted on a flatbed truck and sprays atomized water -- in which liquid is broken up into smaller droplets -- up to 230 feet into the air.

The idea is that the droplets merge with dust particles, replicating the effect of rain. Rain lowers levels of air pollution by bringing particulates in pollution down to the ground.

In 2015, use of the machines was widely reported in China, and they could soon become a familiar site on the streets of Delhi.