Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta On Delhi Pollution, Chhath Puja and More

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday claimed that the capital had "celebrated Diwali and maintained air quality." Speaking at the HT Leadership Summit this morning, Gupta argued that the capital's pollution levels had "stabilised despite festivities". The remark, however, stands at odds with official data from multiple monitoring agencies, which show that Delhi witnessed its worst post-Diwali air quality in five years.

Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed average PM2.5 levels soaring to 488 micrograms per cubic metre the morning after Diwali -- nearly 100 times the World Health Organisation's recommended exposure limit. The levels represented a staggering 212 per cent jump from pre-Diwali readings and were the highest post-festival numbers recorded since 2020.