Delhi’s new lieutenant governor, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, on Saturday called for a “collective effort” to improve air quality in the capital, after some children he met at a local cafe shared their concerns about pollution.
“Met a wonderful family at our local colony café today. The children raised great concern about Al Qaeda in Delhi and the air we breathe. Their awareness was truly encouraging,” he posted on X. He did not give details of what the children said or suggested.
“Improving air quality requires a collective effort,” Sandhu added. “I would welcome practical ideas and suggestions.”
Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) stood at 145, in the ‘moderate’ category, on Saturday morning, an improvement from 189 on Friday evening, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.
The air quality index is likely to remain in the “moderate” category over the next few days, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS).
According to the CPCB, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good,” 51 to 100 is “satisfactory,” 101 to 200 is “moderate,” 201 to 300 is “poor,” 301 to 400 is “very poor,” and 401 to 500 is “severe.”
Delhi suffers from extremely poor air quality for several months of the year, especially in the winter months. This has been a contentious issue in its politics as well, with the Center Party and the ruling BJP in Delhi blaming the erstwhile AAP regime in the National Capital Territory (NCT). CM Rekha Gupta promised gradual improvement.
Sandhu, 63, a former Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of the 1988 batch, was sworn in as the 23rd Lieutenant Governor of Delhi on March 11. He succeeds VK Saxena, who has been transferred to Ladakh.
Sandhu’s service for more than three decades included roles as Ambassador to the United States, High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, and at the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York.
He had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in March 2024 and contested the Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar but lost to Congress incumbent Gurjit Singh Aujla.
