Delhi breathes cleanest July air in decades: Sirsa

The national capital has achieved an unprecedented environmental breakthrough, recording 29 out of 31 days in July this year with ‘Good’ or ‘Satisfactory’ air quality, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Thursday.

According to the Environment Department, this marks the best July air quality in decades, setting a new benchmark in Delhi’s fight against air pollution.

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The citywide Air Quality Index (AQI) on Thursday stood at 59, with most of the city’s 13 pollution hotspots also falling in the ‘Good’ or ‘Satisfactory’ category, a remarkable improvement compared to previous years.

The average AQI for July 2025 is among the lowest ever recorded, surpassing previous clean-air milestones.

Sirsa attributed this success to the Chief Minister Rekha Gupta-led government’s multi-tiered strategy and the double-engine governance model under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sirsa said, “We have moved from reactive pollution control to proactive pollution prevention. Under CM Rekha Gupta’s leadership, our 24×7 teams are implementing solutions on the ground — from increasing green cover through Van Mahotsav to stricter dust control, automatic misting, mechanised road sweeping, and bio-mining of garbage mountains. Every action is delivering measurable impact,” he added.

According to the Environment Minister, the improvement is not only weather-driven, but also the result of structured, technology-backed interventions.

“Delhi’s clean air this July is not a coincidence; it’s a consequence of policy, enforcement, and teamwork. We have created systems that work round the year, ensuring this progress is sustainable,” Sirsa stated.

He further stated that with the artificial rain preparations, ongoing landfill bio-mining, and enhanced dust mitigation norms, the government is confident of sustaining and further improving air quality.