Amid worsening air pollution in the national capital, TMC leader and Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra said on Thursday that the Delhi government has ordered the installation of air purifiers at the Delhi Secretariat.
In a post on X, Moitra said, “Meanwhile Delhi Govt ordered 15 air purifiers for @gupta_rekha & team with tax payers money.”
The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi and its National Capital Region remained in the ‘very poor’ category on Thursday morning, with Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) II norms already in place.
Installation of 15 smart air purifiers at the secretariat
According to the Public Works Department (PWD) work order titled “RMO E&M Services at Delhi Sachivalaya, New Delhi Sachivalaya during 2025-26”, the Delhi government has approved the installation of 15 smart air purifiers at various locations within the Secretariat.
The total cost of the project is ₹5.45 lakh, with each unit priced ₹36,345.
The order mandates that air purifiers must include multi-stage purification systems containing at least three filters, a pre-filter, an activated carbon filter and a true HEPA filter, suitable for areas of approximately 1,000 square feet.
Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said air pollution data before and after Diwali showed improvement compared to last year.
“The pre- and post-Diwali gap (between the average AQI) is less this year compared to the previous year, even though firecrackers were allowed this time,” Gupta told a press conference.
What did the doctors say?
Health experts have expressed concern about the rising AQI and its impact on vulnerable groups, particularly children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions.
On Tuesday Dr. Nikhil Modi, a respiratory medicine specialist at Apollo Hospitals, explained the seasonal factors contributing to the rise in pollution, as reported by ANI.
“As winter approaches each year, we see the AQI begin to rise because as the air cools, the wind speed decreases and the cold air does not rise, causing pollution to accumulate at lower levels. Before Diwali, we started to see the AQI increase, and after Diwali, the AQI was expected to continue to rise. Once pollution increases, people with allergies and by breathing, he faces breathing problems, coughing, tearing and other symptoms,” said Dr. Modi.
Forecasts by the Centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) suggest that Delhi’s AQI is likely to remain in the ‘very poor’ category till Saturday, after which it may fluctuate between ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ for the next six days.
Meanwhile, Delhi Govt ordered 15 air purifiers for @gupta_rekha & team with tax payers money.
An analysis by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) identified October 20 and 21 as the city’s worst PM2.5 pollution days in 2025 after January.
(With input from agencies)
