Delhi records best for Oct 24 AQI in 10 yrs: Sirsa

New Delhi: Delhi recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 191 on Saturday, the lowest for October 24 in a decade, excluding the Covid period, the Delhi government said, attributing the improvement to sustained pollution control measures.

According to a statement issued by the Environment Department, the AQI stood at 306 on October 24 in 2024 and 275 on the corresponding date in 2025, before declining to 191 this year.

Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the improvement reflected the government's efforts to tackle pollution through enforcement, monitoring and public participation. An AQI of 191 falls in the 'moderate' category.

The government said nearly 9,883 vehicle challans were issued in the last 24 hours as part of its anti-pollution drive. During the same period, 2,810 km of roads were mechanically swept and 1,075 km covered through water sprinkling to control dust.

Authorities also removed 12,702 metric tonnes of waste, lifted 2,223 metric tonnes of construction and demolition waste, inspected 160 construction and demolition sites or plots, and collected 168 metric tonnes of road dust, the statement said.

Sirsa said the government would continue its anti-pollution campaign in "war mode", with strict enforcement, continuous monitoring and public participation. He said departments and district administrations had been directed to identify pollution hotspots and take action against sources such as road dust, traffic congestion, unauthorised construction and waste burning.

The government is also using its Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), equipped with artificial intelligence-enabled systems, CCTV surveillance and air quality monitoring, to track pollution sources and assess the implementation of mitigation measures, the statement said.

District magistrates and officials of departments concerned are holding regular reviews to assess pollution control measures and ensure timely action, it added.

Sirsa appealed to residents to avoid waste burning, manage waste responsibly and comply with pollution control norms, saying sustained public cooperation was essential to maintaining the improvement in air quality.

The government said it would continue field inspections, technology-based monitoring and enforcement to address pollution sources and further improve air quality in the national capital.

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