For this episode of Aaj Ka AQI, Newslaundry was outside Parliament to document the air quality index (AQI) at 11 am on Thursday. 

The nearest Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) monitoring station, at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium, recorded an AQI of 185. In contrast, our air quality monitoring device showed an AQI of 367 (in the ‘very poor’ category).

Even though Parliament has been in session for the past 11 days, the government has not tabled any special discussion on the growing air pollution levels in the national capital, despite repeated demands from the Opposition. The Opposition has even held protests outside Parliament over the worsening air quality.

The Union government on Tuesday told Rajya Sabha that there is “no conclusive national data to establish a direct correlation between deaths or diseases occurring exclusively due to air pollution”, despite admitting that “air pollution is one of the triggering factors for respiratory ailments and associated diseases”.

Earlier research indicated that air pollution remained the "single largest health risk" in Delhi, accounting for 17,188 deaths in 2023, representing about 15 percent of total fatalities, according to  data released by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

Watch. 

This show is part of a collaborative campaign to tackle air pollution. Here’s how you can join the Fight To Breathe. Click here to power this campaign.