Delhi AQI hits 400 as Kant demands ruthless pollution action
Delhi air quality reached dangerous levels the day after Diwali celebrations, as 36 of 38 monitoring stations recorded readings above 400 on the pollution index. Former G20 representative Amitabh Kant called for aggressive enforcement to address what he termed a health crisis in one of the world’s most polluted capitals. Multiple neighborhoods reported severe conditions, with Bawana measuring 418 and Jahangirpuri at 404, despite court restrictions on fireworks.
Hospital physicians reported increased patient admissions as people with respiratory conditions required oxygen assistance. Doctors said weakened lungs struggled when pollution reduced the available oxygen and forced breathing systems to work harder than their normal capacity. One environmental expert noted improvement from last year when readings peaked near 800, but said fine particles remain problematic. Kant proposed converting all vehicles to electric power by 2030 and modernizing coal plants while ending agricultural burning and construction dust.
