Delhiites breathe easy with AQI at 202
New Delhi: Delhi’s air quality remained steady with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 202 on Wednesday, marking one of the best readings in the last seven years for this time of year. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the improvement reflects “the result of coordinated, science-based actions” by multiple government agencies working under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s leadership.
“Every day, over 1,200 enforcement teams are on the ground ensuring that pollution control measures are implemented effectively. The government is proactive, but success also depends on public participation. Citizens must avoid open burning, prefer public transport, and ensure their vehicles have valid PUCs,” Sirsa said.
In the last 24 hours, more than 500 inspections were carried out by teams from DPCC, MCD, NDMC, PWD, DJB, DSIIDC, and other departments. Officials inspected 387 construction and demolition (C&D) sites, 79 municipal solid waste locations, 22 DG set installations, and 12 hotels and restaurants, taking strict action against violators.
The civic teams collected 90 MT of road dust through mechanical sweeping, cleaned over 1,900 km of roads, and used more than 1 lakh litres of treated water through anti-smog guns. During the same period, authorities issued 9,325 vehicular pollution challans, diverted 83 trucks, resolved 454 complaints, and lifted 2,348 MT of C&D waste.
Comparing past data, the AQI for the same date stood at 373 in 2024 and 454 in 2023, showing a significant improvement this year. Sirsa said the Delhi Government’s “data-driven Winter Action Plan” is helping sustain this progress.
“These numbers show that Delhi is acting collectively to fight pollution,” Sirsa said, adding that public cooperation remains key to maintaining cleaner air in the Capital.
