Substantial decline in AQI due to govt efforts: Sirsa

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Friday said the substantial decline in the Air Quality Index (AQI) has been due to the government’s efforts and asserted that the pollution stations are “tamper-proof” amid allegations of fudged data.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had also said that pollution data cannot be manipulated or tampered with.

The Aam Aadmi Party has criticised the government’s cloud seeding trials and accused the BJP government in Delhi of shutting down pollution monitoring stations and manipulating the AQI data on Diwali night to conceal the grim situation.

Addressing a press conference, Sirsa said, “I want to clarify that all monitoring stations are tamper-free and they are monitored by CPCB and CAQM,” he said.

Delhi’s 24-hour AQI was recorded at 218 (poor) at 4 pm on Friday, a substantial decline from the previous day’s 373. The AQI stood at 279 on Wednesday.

“The Delhi government, MCD, DDA, DSIIDC, Irrigation and Flood Control department have been working day and night, and the results are visible. Today the AQI is 218, which is the lowest in years for this month,” he said.

Sirsa said there are 378 teams to monitor dust pollution, 443 teams to check open burning of garbage and over 500 teams to monitor vehicular pollution.

Almost 300 kilometres of roads are being swept using mechanical road sweepers, and there are 390 anti-smog guns, the minister said, adding that a total of 91 anti-smog guns have been installed atop high-rise buildings, and 280 water sprinklers have been put in place.

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