NEW DELHI: Delhi’s air quality remained in the “very poor range” throughout the week, with the city recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 347 on Saturday, according to Swiss-based air monitoring agency IQAir. The data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPC) placed the national capital firmly in the “red zone,” ranking it as the most polluted city in the country.
Experts attribute the persistent deterioration in air quality to a combination of post-Diwali pollution, stubble burning in neighbouring states, and sluggish wind movement that has trapped pollutants over the region. The fine particulate matter PM2.5 continues to be the primary pollutant, posing significant health hazards to residents.
In a move aimed at easing vehicular congestion and reducing emissions, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced staggered working hours for Delhi government departments and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
The new schedule, effective from November 15 to February 15, stipulates that Delhi government offices will operate between 10 am and 6:30 pm, while MCD offices will run from 8:30 am to 5 pm. The earlier uniform timings will be replaced to reduce peak-hour traffic and, consequently, vehicular pollution.
The BJP-led Delhi government maintained that it is making “all possible efforts” to improve the city’s air.
However, opposition parties have launched a scathing attack on the Rekha Gupta administration, accusing it of failing to effectively address Delhi’s pollution emergency. Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav charged the government with neglecting public health, asserting that the capital is facing a severe environmental and health crisis. Citing data indicating PM2.5 levels at 142 µg/m 3, Yadav warned that the toxic air is causing a sharp rise in respiratory illnesses and even premature deaths.
“Hospitals are witnessing an alarming increase in patients suffering from cough, throat irritation, asthma attacks, and eye problems,” he said. He further warned that long-term exposure to the polluted air could result in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis, and lung cancer, with effects comparable to smoking.
Yadav also criticized the state of public healthcare, alleging that government hospitals are ill-equipped and lack sufficient staff, infrastructure, and medicines to handle the surge in patients. “People are being compelled to purchase medicines from private pharmacies,” he added.
The Congress leader further stated that Delhi’s worsening pollution has tarnished its image as a global city and severely affected tourism. “Even domestic travellers are avoiding Delhi, despite this being the best time of the year to visit,” Yadav remarked.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also joined in the criticism, accusing the BJP government of systematically dismantling welfare initiatives introduced during the Arvind Kejriwal administration. In a strongly worded statement, AAP claimed that the city’s condition has deteriorated significantly over the last nine months of BJP rule.
“Public transport is collapsing, roads are riddled with potholes, and the much-hyped smog towers are lying defunct,” the party alleged. AAP further claimed that Mohalla Clinics have been shut down, government schools are being neglected, and several localities including Dwarka and Janakpuri are facing acute water shortages, forcing people to rely on water tankers. “The BJP has failed on every front health, education, transport, water, and environment while concentrating its efforts solely on targeting opposition leaders,” the statement said. “Delhiites deserve efficient governance, not political vendetta”.
As the city continues to be engulfed in a thick layer of smog, environmental experts have issued strong warnings that urgent and coordinated measures are needed to avert a full-scale public health disaster. With the AQI consistently exceeding 300 for several consecutive days, experts emphasize the need for long-term structural interventions, including stricter vehicular emission norms, industrial controls, and regional coordination to curb stubble burning.
For now, the national capital continues to struggle for clean air, as both pollution levels and political confrontations soar side by side.
