Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has stirred debate with her recent remarks on the capital’s worsening air pollution, even as toxic smog continues to choke the city. Speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2025, she called Delhi-NCR’s pollution crisis a “legacy issue” and stressed that there is no “magic wand” to fix it instantly.
Gupta said that reducing air pollution is a long-term and ongoing process, insisting that it cannot be resolved with drastic steps like a citywide lockdown. “Delhi’s population and vehicle density make drastic measures impossible. We must keep the city running while improving air quality,” she stated.
When asked whether her government could achieve a 50% reduction in AQI, she avoided giving a specific timeline but maintained that her administration is making steady progress. “Delhi will know I gave my 100 per cent,” she asserted.
The Chief Minister also claimed that her 10-month-old government has moved faster than previous administrations, arguing that earlier AAP and Congress governments did not act with urgency.
Gupta highlighted several steps taken by the BJP-led Delhi government, including supplying heaters to reduce wood burning and deploying sprinklers to minimise dust on major roads. She denied allegations that the government manipulated pollution data by spraying water around AQI monitoring stations or created fake ponds near the Yamuna during Chhath Puja.
A major point of contention has been Gupta’s claim that “Delhi maintained air quality during Diwali.” However, official data contradicts this. As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi recorded its worst post-Diwali pollution levels in five years. PM2.5 levels shot up to 488 µg/m³, nearly 100 times the WHO limit and 212% higher than pre-Diwali readings.
Delhi’s Diwali-day AQI also worsened significantly, touching 345, compared to 328 in 2024, 218 in 2023, and 312 in 2022.
Defending her administration, Gupta pointed to ongoing measures like washing the capital’s Ring Road using hundreds of sprinkler vehicles. In a post on X, she said the initiative reflects the government’s “strong resolve” to fight pollution and provide a cleaner environment.
Despite these claims, Delhi woke up to another morning under thick toxic smog on Saturday, with the AQI touching 333, categorised as “very poor.” Although slightly better than previous weeks, many parts of the city remained heavily polluted, continuing to pose serious health hazards.