Delhi breathes its cleanest July air in 10 years
Propelled by regular rainfall on 23 of 31 days this month, the Capital has recorded its cleanest air for the month of July over the past 10 years, according to data shared by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Until July 30, the monthly average air quality index (AQI) has been 79, which is classified as 'satisfactory', according to CPCB's categorisation.
The average AQI in July 2024 was 96, and in July 2023, it was 83.67. To be sure, CPCB began calculating AQI from April 2015. CPCB classifies AQI between 0 and 50 as 'good', between 51 and 100 as 'satisfactory', between 101 and 200 as 'moderate', between 201 and 300 as 'poor', between 301 and 400 as 'very poor', and over 400 as 'severe'.
The highest AQI average in July was 145.64, recorded in 2016. The average AQI for July in 2022 was 87.29; 110.06 in 2021; 83.80 in 2020; 134 in 2019; 103.83 in 2018; 98.39 in 2017; and 138.13 in 2015.
In July 2025, until the 30th, Delhi recorded 28 'satisfactory' air days and two 'moderate' air days. The best AQI recorded this month was 51—on the brink of good air—on July 15, and the worst was 136, recorded on July 26.
In July 2024, Delhi recorded 14 'moderate' air days and 17 'satisfactory' air days, with the highest AQI, at 138, recorded on July 11. The lowest AQI recorded in July last year was 56, clocked between July 8 and 9.
Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, on July 23, said that Delhi was on its way to record its cleanest July in a decade. He had said, 'This is not a seasonal blip — it is the result of Delhi's multi-agency implementation model, continuous landfill action, intensified sweeping operations, and a clear commitment to outcome-based governance.'
Providing data on the same, officials had also said that Delhi had been witnessing a major turnaround in its air quality, with 2025 already having clocked 118 days of 'good', 'satisfactory' or 'moderate' air quality — matching the total number recorded in all of 2024, as of July 23.
However, experts remained sceptical.
Anumita Roychowdhury, an air pollution expert and executive director at the Centre for Science and Environment, said, 'The overall improvement in air quality is certainly a reflection of meteorological conditions. As it is, the pollution levels go down during the monsoon months due to the wash-out effect, whereby pollutants dissipate because of heavy showers. This year, we have observed frequent spells of intense rain, which have certainly played a role.'
Regarding the government's contribution to the same, Roychowdhury said, 'We do not have all the emissions data to be able to make this comparison within such a limited time period. The monsoon season would not be the correct time to make such an assessment. We have to see how the pollution levels bounce back in the winter months to see if actions taken by the government are progressing in the right direction.'
July has already received rainfall in excess of the long-period average.
The Safdarjung weather station, Delhi's base station that is representative of the city's weather, has recorded a total of 220.2mm of rainfall as of 8.30am on Wednesday, against the long period average of 209.7mm.
Till 5.30pm on Wednesday, the Safdarjung weather station clocked 15mm of rainfall, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Other parts of the city received light to moderate rainfall as well, with forecasts by IMD predicting similar weather conditions to continue for the next few days.
The Palam weather station recorded 4.6mm of rainfall in the 24 hours till 8.30am on Wednesday and 28.3mm of rainfall between 8.30am and 5.30pm. In the same time intervals, the Pusa station recorded 37.5mm of rainfall and 12.5mm of rainfall, respectively. The Janakpuri station received 11.5mm of rainfall in the late afternoon.
'Light to moderate is likely to continue on Thursday as well. Following that, we might observe very light to light rain from Friday onwards, accompanied by thunderstorm and lightning,' said an IMD official.
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