Feb 18, 2026: Despite rain, air quality at Ghazipur landfill remains ‘very poor’

For today’s Aaj Ka AQI, we stood in front of the Ghazipur landfill in east Delhi – a mountain of waste looming over a densely populated neighbourhood.

At 10.30 am, our air quality monitor recorded an AQI of 349, placing it in the “very poor” category. Meanwhile, PM2.5 levels stood at 184, and PM10 at 190.

The nearest official monitoring station, operated by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) at Anand Vihar, reported an AQI of 281, categorised as “poor”, at 10.30 am. Meanwhile, PM2.5 levels stood at 266, and PM10 at 281.

It is often assumed that rainfall brings some relief from high levels of air pollution, yet the situation on the ground told a different story. 

February 20 will mark one year since the BJP government took office in Delhi. While in opposition, the party frequently staged protests demanding cleaner air. However, since coming to power, there has been little visible improvement in Delhi’s air quality. Grand announcements were made, ranging from promises to deploy “artificial rain” solutions to campaigns to remove dust from roads, but the tangible impact remains unclear.

Meanwhile, much of the mainstream media appears focused on praising the Delhi government's ‘initiatives’. For instance, on February 9, News18 published a report titled: “Surgical strike against pollution in Delhi: 100 ‘Air Protectors’ to hit the streets, CM Rekha Gupta announces.” 

Despite these claims, residents in Delhi have yet to experience any measurable results.

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.