Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Tuesday apologised to residents for the city’s persistent air pollution, saying it was “impossible for any elected government to reduce the Air Quality Index in nine to 10 months”. While expressing regret over deteriorating air quality, Sirsa squarely blamed the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for what he termed a long-standing “disease of pollution” inherited by the current administration. He maintained that despite recent spikes, daily efforts had led to gradual improvement.
#WATCH | Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa says, “It is impossible for any elected government to reduce AQI in 9-10 months. I apologise for the pollution in Delhi. We are doing better work than the dishonest AAP government, and we have reduced AQI each day. This… pic.twitter.com/hmUoMv57Wf
— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2025
Stricter Curbs Announced
Citing official data, Sirsa said Delhi’s AQI stood at 354 around 4 pm on Tuesday, an improvement from Monday’s reading of 427, which fell under the “severe” category. He claimed that the government had managed to reduce AQI levels each day through sustained interventions, though he acknowledged that a complete turnaround could not be expected in under a year.
Announcing stricter enforcement, the minister said vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate would be barred from refuelling at petrol pumps across the national capital starting Thursday. Vehicle owners have been given one day to comply. “After tomorrow, vehicles that do not have a valid PUC certificate will not be provided fuel,” Sirsa said.
Sirsa Blames AAP
Targeting AAP, Sirsa alleged that the party had “distorted Delhi” during its tenure and was now attempting to divert attention by staging protests over pollution. He questioned what concrete measures had been taken by the previous government to tackle air quality despite being in power for years.
Sirsa claimed that Delhi’s air quality remained better for nearly eight months this year compared to the same period last year, attributing this to sustained efforts over the past 10 months. While conceding that pollution levels had spiked recently, he said the overall trend was still better than in previous years.
Highlighting ongoing initiatives, the minister said the government was working daily to curb pollution, including reducing the height of garbage mountains by 15 metres and reclaiming 45 acres of land after clearing waste. He added that 13 pollution hotspots had been identified across the city, with relevant agencies tasked with addressing them. According to Sirsa, AQI levels at these hotspots were lower this year than at any point in the past decade, excluding the Covid period.
On public transport, Sirsa said the government was pushing cleaner mobility, with plans to deploy 7,500 electric buses to cut vehicular emissions. A scientific committee has also been constituted to recommend effective pollution-control measures and has already begun deliberations.
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