NEW DELHI: Delhi witnesses slight improvement in its 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). The city recorded an AQI of 269 at 7 am, showing progress from the 305 reported at 4 pm yesterday.Despite this improvement, ITO and several parts of New Delhi continued to remain shrouded in thick smog.
Shadipur reported the highest pollution level at 335, followed by Jahangirpuri (324), Nehru Nagar (319), RK Puram (307), and the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences in Dilshad Garden (303), all categorised as ‘very poor’. Mandir Marg recorded an AQI of 158, placing it in the ‘moderate’ range.Several locations fell under the ‘poor’ category, including Bawana (295), Sirifort (293), Rohini (291), Vivek Vihar (289), DTU (285), Burari Crossing (283), Mundka (283), Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range (282), Dwarka Sector 8 (281), Chandni Chowk (281), Patparganj (280), Wazirpur (281), Anand Vihar (281), Sonia Vihar (277), Narela (276), Ashok Vihar (275), ITO (269), JLN Stadium (269), Punjabi Bagh (265), Pusa (263), and SRRI Mathura Road (262).The Delhi government said it is monitoring pollution levels regularly and implementing measures to reduce emissions. However, the situation has triggered strong political criticism. Senior Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit accused the authorities of failing to act effectively.Calling the rising pollution a form of “murder”, Dikshit said: “Delhi’s environment has become utterly polluted, and this has increasingly been seen over the last six to seven years. People may measure it in AQI or any other form, but I consider it murder. Doctors have said that those living in Delhi in such an environment will see their life expectancy reduced. It is as simple as slowly poisoning somebody to death, and we are all responsible for this crime.”Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has also demanded a parliamentary debate on Delhi’s worsening air quality.
