Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asked reporters to “enjoy the weather”, drawing censure from the Opposition given the smog crisis in Delhi.
“Aap bhi mausam ka maza lijiye (You, too, enjoy the weather),” Modi had told the media outside Parliament House just before the winter session began.
Monday’s weather, according to the Central Pollution Control Board, was more toxic than Sunday’s. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (from 4pm of the previous day to 4pm of the assessment day) had increased from 279 (poor) on Sunday evening to
304 (very poor).
The types of “prominent pollutants” present in the air, too, had increased.
On Sunday, only PM2.5 — fine particles generated from vehicle emissions and other sources — was the prominent pollutant. On Monday, the pollution board reported both PM2.5 and PM10 — larger pollutants from fires and industrial combustion — as the prominent pollutants detected.
However, the skies were clear on Monday because of winds from the northwest that had blown away the pollutants to some extent over the weekend.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called Modi out on his remarks.
“What weather should the people of Delhi enjoy? At least take a peek outside to see what is happening in the country…,” she told reporters outside Parliament.
“I feel this is a shameful situation. This is the capital city of our country. Let us set aside our political differences and take some strong steps. How can we do this to our children? There are 22 lakh children today who have permanent damage to their lungs, according to a study.”
Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav, in a written reply to Punjab MP and former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha, suggested an improvement in air pollution this year, and this decade in general.
“With coordinated efforts, number of good days (AQI<200) in Delhi has increased to 200 days in 2025 from 110 days in 2016,” his reply said.
“While there is an overall improvement in the AQI this year, very poor days (AQI: 301-400) and severe (AQI more than 401) days have reduced from 71 days in 2024 to 50 days in 2025. Delhi has observed lowest average AQI in the past 8 years i.e., from 2018 to 2025 (barring 2020 – Covid lockdown).”
The Commission for Air Quality Management downgraded its pollution control protocol — the Graded Response Action Plan — from Stage III to II on November 26 after the AQI fell below400 (severe).