"City's pollution level remained well under control before festival": Delhi CM Rekha Gupta

New Delhi [India], October 21 : Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday emphasised that the BJP government's "effective measure" kept the pollution level in the national capital "under control" before the Diwali festival.
According to a release from Delhi CMO, Rekha Gupta also thanked Delhites for their "responsible behaviour" to keep pollution levels low and respecting Supreme Court's directive by choosing green firecrackers.
The Chief Minister stated that in the days leading up to Diwali and on the festival itself, the entire atmosphere of Delhi appeared transformed, as per the release.
According to her, the people of Delhi had sensed that this time they had a government that respected Sanatan (eternal) traditions while also understanding the present-day needs and sentiments of its citizens. "The people placed their faith in the Delhi Government and celebrated Diwali with full enthusiasm," she said.
Delhi CM criticised the previous government for "failing to implement" any effective anti-pollution measures and imposing a blanket ban on firecrackers.
She pointed out that for almost seven years, Delhiites had been in a state of uncertainty over how to celebrate the festival.
"Earlier, the Supreme Court had imposed certain restrictions on firecrackers due to rising pollution levels. However, during this period, the former government in Delhi failed to implement any effective anti-pollution measures and instead imposed a blanket ban on firecrackers," she said.
According to the release, the Chief Minister said that seeing the people of Delhi celebrate such a beautiful and conscientious Diwali after many years filled her heart with joy and contentment.
CM Rekha Gupta also shared that her government has been serious about tackling pollution from the very beginning.
To reduce dust pollution, the Delhi government has deployed 1,000 water sprinklers and 140 anti-smog guns across the city. Mechanical road cleaning is being carried out using 70 mechanical road sweepers and advanced super-sucker machines equipped with water-spraying systems, as per the release.
Additionally, the Delhi Government has intensified inspections at construction and demolition sites to ensure strict compliance with dust control regulations, the release stated.
A day after Diwali, the national capital city, New Delhi, woke up to a thick and heavy layer of smog as the air quality deteriorated to the 'Very Poor' category on Tuesday morning, with most of the monitoring stations marked in the 'Red Zone' of pollution.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 351 as of 4 pm today.