India's capital, Delhi, is currently grappling with hazardous air pollution levels. Amidst this crisis, the
has initiated a tech-focused, year-long strategy to bring pollution under control. This includes exploring collaboration with IIT Kanpur for the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data-driven systems.
According to Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, this initiative aims to identify pollution sources precisely so that effective and focused actions can be undertaken. Under this plan, hyper-local source apportionment, real-time sensor monitoring, and satellite data will be leveraged to pinpoint pollution causes in different areas of the city.
The necessity of this strategy is highlighted by alarming figures from the Central Pollution Control Board (
) released this December. Based on the average figures over the 30 days, Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 350 for the month. Consequently, almost the entire month remained in the 'Very Poor' to 'Severe' category, making December 2025 one of the most polluted months in recent years.
Source: aajtak
The data indicates that December 2024 had an average AQI of 294, while it was 347 in 2023, 318 in 2022, and 336 in 2021. The level of December 2023 was close to this year's but was relatively better.
This December stands out for its complete lack of relief. The worst air quality was recorded on December 14 when the AQI soared to 461. The best AQI this month was 234, which still falls in the 'Poor' category. In December 2024, pollution levels fell to 139 and 163 in December 2022, but such relief moments are absent this year.
The toxic air combined with the cold season has significantly impacted daily life. On December 30, dense fog in and around Delhi led to the cancellation of at least
, including 60 arrivals and 58 departures, at Indira Gandhi International Airport. Additionally, 16 flights were diverted to other cities.
