{"id":"f-445134d771-80cd5f8b-d83a-5e8d-aeeb-b62f3be7a288","title":"‘Impossible to Fix AQI in 9–10 Months’: What Delhi Environment Minister Said on Dealing with Pollution","description":"Delhi's Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa addressed the city's persistent air pollution crisis, emphasizing that it is unrealistic to expect quick fixes due to years of neglect. He stated that reducing the Air Quality Index (AQI) significantly within 9–10 months is impossible, attributing the current situation to previous administrations.","timestamp":1765886438,"category":"national_v_two","headline":"‘Impossible to Fix AQI in 9–10 Months’: What Delhi Environment Minister Said on Dealing with Pollution","modifiedHeadline":"Delhi's Air Quality Unlikely to Improve Soon","subCategories":["scid_32ea1c2f"],"region":"IN","bundleMetaData":{"bundleId":"7b48871c-c993-4956-b43d-6f46f8e1b036","bundleTitle":"Today In India","cardData":null},"iabCategoryId":"386","fcSummary":"Delhi grapples with severe air pollution, prompting stricter measures like BS-VI vehicle entry and PUC checks at petrol pumps. Officials say fixing the long-term issue takes time, blaming past neglect. GRAP stage IV is imposed as AQI levels remain critical in many areas.","summary":"Delhi's Environment Minister warns fixing toxic air 'impossible' in 9-10 months. Years of neglect blamed for the pollution crisis.","ctaUrl":"https://trends.glance.com/newz/news/IN/en/timesnow/f-445134d771-80cd5f8b-d83a-5e8d-aeeb-b62f3be7a288","sourceUrl":"https://www.timesnownews.com/delhi/impossible-to-fix-aqi-in-910-months-what-delhi-environment-minister-said-on-dealing-with-pollution-article-153301738","bannerImage":"https://g-mob.glance-cdn.com/public/fc/image/ja9uPedLRrp0.webp","content":"

New Delhi: As Delhi continues to reel under severe air pollution, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Tuesday said it was unrealistic to expect

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any elected government to fix the capital’s air quality crisis within a short span of time, stressing that the problem is the result of years of neglect. Delhi-NCR has been grappling with poor to severe air quality, triggering serious health concerns for residents and forcing authorities to tighten restrictions across the region.

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‘Impossible to Fix AQI in 9–10 Months’

Responding to criticism over rising pollution levels, Sirsa said expectations of a rapid turnaround were misplaced.\n
\n“It is impossible for any elected government to reduce AQI in 9–10 months. I apologise for the pollution in Delhi. We are doing better work than the dishonest AAP government, and we have reduced AQI each day. This disease of pollution is given to us by the Aam Aadmi Party, and we are working to fix it,” Sirsa said.\n
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\nHe added that the current government is attempting to reverse years of environmental damage left behind by previous administrations.\n
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\nAnnouncing additional pollution-control measures, Sirsa said that from Thursday, only BS-VI compliant vehicles will be permitted to enter the national capital.\n
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\nHe also said vehicle owners without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) will be denied fuel at petrol pumps starting Thursday, as part of stricter enforcement to curb vehicular emissions.\n
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Several Areas in ‘Severe’ Air Quality Zone

According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), air quality in several parts of Delhi has deteriorated sharply.\n
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Anand Vihar, AIIMS, Ghazipur and India Gate reported very poor to severe air quality
Anand Vihar and Ghazipur recorded an AQI of 410, categorised as severe
AIIMS stood at 397 and India Gate at 380, both in the very poor category

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GRAP Stage IV Imposed Across Delhi-NCR

With pollution levels breaching critical limits, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) imposed Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR.\n
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\nStage IV is the strictest level of restrictions, enforced when AQI crosses 450, and focuses on limiting public exposure and preventing further deterioration in air quality.\n
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CM Rekha Gupta Targets Past Governments

Last week, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also addressed protests over pollution, saying the crisis was the result of long-standing neglect.\n
\n“Those who make big statements and protest at India Gate… pollution is not something that appeared today; it has been a problem for years. What did the previous government do? Where were you at that time? This is a backlog of 27 years. The government needs at least 27 months to clear the backlog of 27 years,” Gupta said.\n
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\nAs Delhi heads deeper into winter, authorities have urged residents to stay alert, follow advisories, and minimise outdoor exposure while enforcement agencies continue to tighten pollution-control measures.\n
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(with inputs from news agencies)\n

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‘Impossible to Fix AQI in 9–10 Months’: What Delhi Environment Minister Said on Dealing with Pollution

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