The Delhi government on Thursday accused the former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)–led administration of failing to implement critical pollution-control measures over the past 11 years, saying the prolonged inaction has made the current air quality crisis more challenging to address.
Addressing a press conference amid rising Air Quality Index (AQI) levels in the national capital, Delhi minister Parvesh Verma presented what he described as a comprehensive list of pending tasks that should have been completed by the previous government. According to Verma, the lack of progress on these initiatives has compounded Delhi’s long-standing pollution problem.
“If even half of these responsibilities had been fulfilled earlier, the current government would only have had to complete the remaining work. However, not a single task was completed over the last 11 years,” Verma said, referring to former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP administration.
The tasks highlighted by the Delhi government included the removal of large garbage dumps, development of green parks, repair of footpaths, effective e-waste management, cleaning of the Yamuna river, expansion of sewage treatment capacity, road cleaning, and improved plastic waste management.
Verma also emphasized that air pollution in Delhi is not a recent phenomenon. “This issue has developed over several years. Our government has been in office for the past nine months, and since February 20, 2025, the chief minister and ministers have been actively working on the ground. Several programs have already been implemented with positive results,” he said.
The remarks coincided with the enforcement of stricter pollution-control measures across Delhi. These include hybrid work-from-home arrangements for offices, restrictions on the entry of certain vehicles into the city, and a ban on refuelling vehicles that do not possess valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates.
The Delhi government reiterated its commitment to addressing air pollution through sustained administrative action and public cooperation, while maintaining that long-term solutions require consistent implementation over time.
