With Delhi’s air quality stuck in the ‘Very Poor’ range for several days, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the government was continuously monitoring conditions and taking daily measures to control pollution. Speaking to the media, she noted that today’s efforts would show results in the future. Gupta held a roadshow in Shalimar Bagh ahead of the MCD by-elections in 12 wards, expressing confidence that public support would translate into results on November 30 and December 3. She said Delhi residents would again choose the BJP and that the party would work for the city’s development.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi demanded a Parliament debate on rising pollution across major cities before the Winter Session. In a post on X, he criticised the Centre for showing “no urgency, plan, or accountability,” and said children were growing up breathing toxic air. He called for a detailed debate and a strict action plan, stressing that clean air is a basic right.

Delhi’s AQI stood at 384 at 8 am on Friday, according to CPCB data, remaining in the ‘Very Poor’ category after recording 377 on November 27. Several locations registered ‘Severe’ pollution levels, including Ashok Nagar (417), Bawana (413), Chandni Chowk (408), Jahangirpuri (420), JLN Stadium (401), and Burari Crossing (403). Anand Vihar recorded 408 amid dense smog.

A resident, Vinod, attributed the increased pollution partly to volcanic ash from Ethiopia drifting into India. He noted that while the government attempted cloud seeding to trigger artificial rain, the effort did not succeed. Other parts of the city also reported very poor AQI levels, such as Mandir Marg (320), ITO (393), Najafgarh (365), Sirifort (394), and Sri Aurobindo Marg (354).