• Source:JND
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Delhi Air Pollution: Delhi’s Environment Minister, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, on Friday held a press conference to outline the capital’s ongoing initiatives to curb air pollution and enhance environmental conditions. The Delhi government has now put forward a new claim citing the joint efforts of the Delhi government, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the Irrigation and Flood Control Board, Sirsa reported that the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has improved to 218.

He stated, "Over the last 2–3 days, the Delhi government, the Municipal Corporation, and all departments have worked tirelessly day and night, and the results are beginning to show. Today, the AQI is 218, which is a significant improvement. Through the Delhi government’s continuous efforts, around 1,000 personnel are monitoring 378 sites specifically for dust pollution and working on its control..."

Sirsa highlighted that this is a marked improvement compared to previous years, noting that the AQI on the same day last year was 357, while in 2023 it stood at 328. “This year’s AQI level shows a significant improvement compared to previous years,” he said.

Sirsa also explained that a workforce of over 1,200 personnel has been deployed across the city to prevent open waste burning, a major contributor to winter pollution. In addition, about 1,000 workers are specifically engaged in dust control operations to limit particulate emissions from roads and construction sites.

In addition, large-scale mechanical sweeping has been introduced, covering nearly 3,000 kilometers of roadways. Authorities are also monitoring 91 newly identified high-rise buildings and ensuring compliance with pollution regulations at 500 construction and demolition (C&D) sites.

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Sirsa emphasized that certain high-rise structures and industrial zones near dumping and legacy waste sites are under special scrutiny due to their elevated pollution impact.

Addressing concerns about potential manipulation of air quality data, Sirsa clarified that all monitoring stations in Delhi are fully automated, eliminating any possibility of manual interference. “Our monitoring systems are fully automated. No data can be altered or tampered with,” he asserted, adding that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) jointly supervise real-time monitoring across all stations. He described recent media allegations suggesting data distortion as “false and aimed at discrediting the government.”

Sirsa also revealed that in the past two and a half months, the government has invested crores of rupees in constructing and repairing city roads, particularly around industrial pollution hotspots. MCD teams have increased the frequency of daily waste collection, and deputy commissioners are carrying out zone-wise assessments to maintain ongoing cleanliness drives.

On the topic of vehicle regulations, Sirsa clarified that no blanket ban has been imposed on BS-IV vehicles, and residents registering vehicles outside Delhi will have a one-year period to comply with the updated rules.

Despite these efforts, air pollution continues to pose a serious health threat. According to the latest Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data, nearly 15 per cent of all deaths in Delhi in 2023 were linked to polluted air. The analysis, released earlier this month by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), estimated that exposure to ambient particulate matter caused approximately 17,188 deaths in the city. In other words, one out of every seven deaths in Delhi was attributed to air pollution.

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Delhi air quality improves slightly, AQI now in 'poor' category

Delhi air quality showed a slight improvement on Friday morning but still remained in the "poor" category, with many areas experiencing clearer skies and better visibility compared to recent days.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the national capital recorded an AQI of 268, categorised as 'poor', as of 8 am on Friday. Yesterday, at the same time, the city's air quality was in the 'very poor' category, as the AQI recorded at 8 am was 352.

Earlier on Thursday, the monitoring stations at Anand Vihar reported an AQI of 408 and Vivek Vihar 415, categorised as 'severe' air quality, at the same time.

( With PTI Inputs )

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