Delhi’s Clean Air Milestone: 179 Days Since Jan 1

A record 179 clean‑air days have been recorded in Delhi from January 1 to September 15, 2026, according to the environment department. This outpaces the 172 days logged for the same period last year and more than doubles the 94 days recorded in 2016, signalling a substantial leap of 85 days. Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa described the trend as a historic achievement, noting the AQI reading of 98 on September 15 placed the city in a satisfactory zone. The government’s multi‑pronged approach includes mobilising 81 mechanised street‑cleaners to cover over 2,200 km of roads and collect 170 tonnes of dust, extracting 12,715 tonnes of waste, and issuing 4,976 fines for non‑compliant vehicle emissions. Moreover, 2,113 tonnes of construction‑and‑demolition debris were removed, and bio‑mining facilities at three municipal solid‑waste sites processed roughly 19,212 tonnes of waste. Officials reaffirmed that long‑term air‑quality improvement remains a core objective, relying on strict enforcement, dust control, scientific waste management and active citizen involvement.