Delhi records 163 clean air days

Delhi has recorded 163 clean air days this year, equalling the 10-year high registered in 2022, with four months still remaining, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Saturday.

Clean air days include those with ‘good’, ‘satisfactory’, or ‘moderate’ air quality index (AQI).

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’.

“With nearly four months remaining in the year, 2025 is on track to set a new record for the highest number of clean air days in the last decade, reflecting the Delhi government’s committed and data-driven approach to environmental enhancement,” Mr. Sirsa said.

This year, Delhi has witnessed an above-normal monsoon, with the wettest August in 15 years.

The Minister said that Delhi has already surpassed its previous high of 110 clean air days in 2016, 159 days in 2018, and 152 days in 2027. 

Mr. Sirsa attributed the outcome to a multi-tiered strategy, integrated with necessary technological interventions such as mechanised road sweeping, advanced bio-mining techniques, and waste management systems.

“These efforts are evident in the 163 clean air days recorded so far in 2025, paving the way for a potentially record-breaking year,” Mr. Sirsa said.

The Minister stated that the Delhi government has made all the necessary arrangements for the immersion processions of Ganesh idols on Anant Chaturdashi. “Over 60 artificial ponds have been created to facilitate safe and environment-friendly celebrations for the Ganesh Chaturthi and the Durga Puja, allowing residents to uphold cultural traditions while safeguarding our natural resources and preventing pollution of water bodies,” Mr. Sirsa said.