Clean Air Now, Govt Must Prepare for Winter Woes Next

When rains come, winters are not very far away. Delhi government is applauding its efforts of securing 'cleanest and coolest' July in nine years with an average Air Quality Index of 79.

- SIDHARTH MISHRA Author and president, Centre for Reforms, Development & Justice

This improvement is largely attributable to consistent monsoon showers that have effectively washed away pollutants, leading to AQI levels dropping below 50 in many areas, categorizing the air quality as 'very good'. The bigger question is whether they would be 'securing' Delhi air when winter dawns.

The annual winter crisis is caused by various factors including stubble burning in neighbouring states, vehicular emissions, industrial pollutants, and unfavourable meteorological conditions that trap pollutants close to the ground.

For the past few years, the BJP-led Centre has repeatedly pointed, and rightly so, at a lacklustre Arvind Kejriwal government for turning the national Capital into a gas chamber during the winter months. The value addition to this claim was done by equally indifferent attitude of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government in addressing air pollution in the national Capital.

The two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led state governments to defend their incompetence laid blame, rightly or wrongly, at the doors of the BJP-led Haryana government for turning Delhi into one of the most polluted cities globally. Then Haryana had claimed that how was it responsible for the polluted air blowing from Punjab to Delhi.