Thick layer of dust engulfs Delhi-NCR, air quality worsens to 'very poor'

Delhi woke up on Friday to worsened air quality with the AQI touching 301, which falls in the 'very poor' category. A sudden spike in dust pollution is causing the air quality to deteriorate. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi's overall AQI was recorded at 301 at 7 am today. 

An AQI ranging from 301 to 400 is categorised as 'very poor'. The AQI recorded in most of the observation stations was in the very poor category. The AQI at Anant Vihar, Ashok Vihar, and Aya Nagar was recorded at 352, 322 and 333, respectively. 

According to the IMD, the sudden wind gusts reaching speeds of 30-40 kmph swept across Palam and adjoining areas, bringing in significant dust from Rajasthan. This caused the unusual deterioration in the air quality in May in the national capital. Meanwhile, a political row erupted over the worsened air quality with AAP attacking the BJP government, saying that its election promises of clean air collapsed in just three months.

The official handle of the Aam Aadmi Party posted on 'X': "In the month of May itself, Delhi-NCR was covered in a blanket of pollution. In the month of May itself, AQI has crossed 500 in many areas of Delhi-NCR, and dust and poisonous air are spread in the air. This has never happened before. There are BJP governments in Delhi and all the surrounding states, but no BJP government is doing any work to reduce pollution."

Sharing a news report on the alarming AQI levels, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal took to the social media platform 'X' and wrote, "Air pollution was never this bad during the AAP regime at this time of the year."

Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa hit out at former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi after the latter alleged that the AQI had reached 500 on Thursday morning.Sirsa doubled down on Atishi and said that the diseases the Aam Aadmi Party government gave in the last 10 years were being cured by the BJP.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, "I am very amazed that Atishi has been the CM and she is tweeting like this - yesterday, the weather department had told that there would be thunderstorms and duststorms - now, will we be blamed for such storms? But it's good that Atishi has expectations from us. But, the 'disease' that 'AAP-da' has given us for the last 10 years, we will make all efforts and will clean the air of Delhi." 

(This story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from ANI)