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New Delhi: As Delhi continues to reel under severe air pollution, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Tuesday said it was unrealistic to expect
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.
‘Impossible to Fix AQI in 9–10 Months’
Responding to criticism over rising pollution levels, Sirsa said expectations of a rapid turnaround were misplaced.“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.
He added that the current government is attempting to reverse years of environmental damage left behind by previous administrations.
Announcing additional pollution-control measures, Sirsa said that from Thursday, only BS-VI compliant vehicles will be permitted to enter the national capital.
He 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.
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.
- 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
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.
Stage 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.
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.“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.
As 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.
(with inputs from news agencies)
