Delhi experienced a sharp decline in air quality on Friday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 301, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, dust pollution caused a sudden spike in pollution levels, especially in areas like Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, and Aya Nagar, where AQI levels touched 352, 322, and 333 respectively. Most air quality monitoring stations across the city recorded similarly alarming readings.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that strong wind gusts, clocking 30-40 kmph in areas like Palam, carried significant amounts of dust from Rajasthan into Delhi. This unexpected influx of dust in May has contributed to the unusual drop in air quality for this time of year. The situation has raised concerns about environmental preparedness and pollution control measures in the capital.
Amid worsening pollution, a political blame game erupted between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). AAP criticized the BJP for failing to maintain air quality in Delhi and surrounding states, arguing that the situation had deteriorated since the BJP took over. In response, BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa dismissed the claims, attributing the pollution to natural dust storms and accusing AAP of leaving behind a decade-long environmental “disease” that the BJP is now working to resolve.
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