Delhi's air quality worsens, slips into 'poor' category with AQI 294

Delhi's air quality slipped into the 'poor' category with an AQI of 294 on Tuesday. A layer of smog covered the city, with areas like Wazirpur and ITO recording 'very poor' air. AAP has accused the BJP of manipulating pollution data.

The air quality in the national capital deteriorated on Tuesday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) rising to 294, placing it in the 'poor' category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Several areas of Delhi are now witnessing a layer of smog, raising concerns among residents, especially those with respiratory issues.

According to CPCB data, AQI readings were 320 at Anand Vihar, 313 at Bawana, 325 at Chandni Chowk, 273 at Dwarka Sector 8, 224 at IGI Airport (T3), 355 at ITO, 332 at Narela, 299 at Punjabi Bagh, 278 at RK Puram, 378 at Wazirpur, and 349 at Rohini. Areas around India Gate and Kartavya Path recorded AQI readings of 355, while Bawana recorded 313. The AQI of Akshardham Temple reported 325, classified as 'very poor'. According to AQI classification, a reading between 0 and 50 is 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'.

Political Row Erupts Over AQI Data

The worsening air quality has also sparked political debate. On Tuesday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) questioned the credibility of Delhi's pollution data, raising objections to the BJP government's decision to install six new AQI monitoring stations in the city's green and open areas. AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj said the intent of the BJP government led by Rekha Gupta was not to clean Delhi's air but to artificially lower AQI readings by shifting monitoring infrastructure to greener zones, thereby creating a false impression of improvement without taking substantive anti-pollution measures.

In a post on X, AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj stated on X, "CM Rekha Gupta's new manipulation has come to the fore. The government has now installed new AQI monitoring stations in green and open areas. Without reducing pollution, the BJP government will manipulate AQI data and show lower pollution levels. Even the CAQM remains silent despite this manipulation, as all the IAS officers there are appointed by the Central Government. In Delhi, a system made by IAS officers for IAS officers is running." (ANI)

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