Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa: 179 clean air days in Delhi so far this year, highest in a decade

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Delhi recorded 179 clean air days between January 1 and September 15 this year, the highest in a decade, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Tuesday, attributing the improvement to sustained measures to control dust, waste and vehicular pollution.

According to data shared by the environment department, the capital had recorded 172 clean air days during the corresponding period last year, while the figure stood at 94 in 2016.

The number of clean air days has increased by 85 from 2016 to 2026, reflecting a "sustained improvement" in the city's air quality, an official statement said.

The data from 2015 to 2024 was not immediately available.

Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 98 on Tuesday, placing it in the 'satisfactory' category.

Sirsa said Delhi has recorded 179 clean air days so far this year, the highest in a decade.

"Delhi is witnessing a clear and sustained improvement in air quality. The increase from just 94 clean air days in 2016 to 179 days this year is a landmark achievement," Sirsa said.

The government will continue to strengthen measures to ensure cleaner air in the city, he said.

As part of its dust-control measures, 81 mechanised road sweepers covered around 2,279 km of roads and collected nearly 170 tonnes of road dust for scientific disposal in the last 24 hours, the environment department said.

Around 2,113 tonnes of construction and demolition waste was also removed and nearly 12,715 tonnes of garbage was cleared, it said.

The department said 4,976 challans were issued for violations related to vehicular pollution in the last 24 hours.

Around 19,212 tonnes of legacy waste was processed through biomining at Bhalswa, Ghazipur and Okhla landfill sites as part of the city's waste management efforts, it added.

The government said improving the air quality remained a long-term priority and that enforcement, dust mitigation, scientific waste management and public participation will continue to form the core of its efforts.

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