Remarkable improvement in Delhi’s AQI, 30 % reduction in PM levels: Kejriwal

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday claimed that his government has succeeded in reducing the city’s PM levels by around 30 per cent thus improving the air quality from ‘poor’ to ‘good’.

The Chief minister was speaking on the occasion of World Environment Day.

Over the past seven years, there has been a significant decrease in pollution levels and poor air quality, benefiting the residents.

“There are two types of pollution, PM 2.5 and PM 10, both of which contribute to poor air quality. We have observed a 30 per cent decrease in both of these pollutants in the last seven years. In 2016, there were 26 days during which Delhi was engulfed in a haze and breathing in oxygen was nearly impossible. In 2022, there were only six such days with poor air quality. I believe that in the future, Delhi will not experience any days with poor air quality,” said Kejriwal.

He further stated that in 2016, there were 109 days with good air quality, which they referred to as “good days.” However, in 2022, there were 163 such days with good air quality.

“In 2016, we had 100 days with a ‘good’ Air Quality Index (AQI), whereas in 2022, we had 163 good AQI days. We are consistently making efforts to improve air quality,” he said.

Kejriwal mentioned that dust is also a major contributor to air pollution. He announced plans to implement a mechanical sweeper system for vacuum cleaning Delhi’s roads. Additionally, all roads in Delhi will be cleaned with water every week, making them comparable to roads in European countries.

The chief minister spoke about a mobile application called ‘Greenapp,’ through which anyone can lodge complaints related to pollution. He informed that the Delhi Government received 58,000 complaints through this app, of which about 90 per cent were resolved.

He further stated that the government in Delhi is committed to building 380 lakes, with the aim of making it a city of lakes. Currently, 26 lakes have been completed.

“I visited Dwarka lake. The groundwater level has risen by approximately five meters. We can now use groundwater for drinking purposes,” he added.
IANS