New Delhi: Delhi saw a minor improvement in air quality on Sunday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) moving from the ‘very poor’ to the ‘poor’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). At 7 a.m., the city’s AQI stood at 269, showing a drop from Saturday afternoon’s 305.
Despite this slight improvement, thick smog continued to blanket several parts of the capital. Shadipur recorded the highest AQI at 335, followed by Jahangirpuri (324), Nehru Nagar (319), RK Puram (307), and Dilshad Garden’s Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (303), all remaining in the ‘very poor’ category. Mandir Marg, in contrast, recorded the lowest AQI at 158, placing it in the ‘moderate’ bracket.
Several major areas of Delhi, including Bawana (295), Sirifort (293), Rohini (291), Vivek Vihar (289), Dwarka Sector 8 (281), Chandni Chowk (281), Anand Vihar (281), Sonia Vihar (277), and ITO (269), were classified under the ‘poor’ category (201–300), reflecting lingering air pollution issues.
In response, the Delhi government said it continues to monitor pollution levels closely and is implementing daily measures to address the rising pollution. However, the deteriorating air quality has sparked political criticism. Senior Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit accused the government of failing to protect residents, calling the worsening conditions “tantamount to murder.” He cited warnings from health experts, noting that prolonged exposure to Delhi’s polluted air can significantly reduce life expectancy.
“Delhi’s environment has become dangerously polluted over the past six to seven years. Measuring AQI or other indices aside, this is slowly poisoning the population, and we are all accountable for it,” Dikshit said.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, urged Parliament to hold a debate on the city’s worsening air quality, highlighting the public health risks posed by persistent smog.
