• Source:JND
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Delhi-NCR has steadily observed better air quality this year, with the pollution board recording the cleanest January-August period after the Covid era, and the second-best in the last 8 years. City’s average air quality index (AQI) between January- August stood at 172, significantly better than last year when the city registered an AQI of 187, the official data revealed.

A press release by PBI shared the latest data recorded by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) that Delhi observed the best air quality index since 2008, except in 2020 when a lockdown was imposed. The national capital recorded an AQI of 203 in 2018. By comparison, the figure was 199 in 2019, 192 in 2021, and 194 in 2022. 2020 was an exception, when the average dropped to 147 due to restricted movement during the nationwide lockdown.

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The city's air quality showed improvement in August 2025, with an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 89. This marks a notable decline from 116 in 2023 and 107 in 2021. Although the AQI rose slightly compared to last year's August average of 72, officials attributed the overall reduction to favourable weather conditions and coordinated anti-pollution efforts.

This August, Delhi recorded 23 days with ‘good’ and ‘satisfactory’ AQIs, significantly better than 2023 and 2021, when only 8 and 11 days entered the category. Over the period of January-August in 2025, the city observed 65 such days, the highest after 2020 when lockdown was imposed.

Delhi AQI News: No 'Severe' Category Days Observed In 2025

A significant milestone was achieved in 2025, with no day recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) above 400, which is classified as "severe". This is a notable improvement compared to previous years, when the city experienced multiple days with severe air quality, including 7 days in 2019 and 6 days in 2021.

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The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) attributes this progress to its collaborative efforts with various agencies. To sustain this momentum, the CAQM plans to intensify initiatives aimed at reducing emissions and preventing pollution in the coming months.