10 days of 'severe' air quality in Delhi during winter season: Govt tells Lok Sabha
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi saw 10 days of 'severe' air quality during the winter season (October-January) in 2025-26 as against 31 days in 2016-17, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Monday.
He shared the information in response to a written question by Congress MP Manish Tewari in the Lok Sabha.
"The total number of days with Severe AQI levels (AQI>401) in Delhi during the
winter season (October-January) in 2025-26 were 10 days as compared to 31 days in 2016-17," Yadav said.
He said focused actions by 130 cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) have shown positive results, with 103 cities showing a reduction in PM10 concentration in 2024-25 as compared to 2017-18. Of these, 64 cities have shown a reduction in PM10 levels by more than 20 per cent and 25 of these cities have achieved a reduction of more than 40 per cent.
"A total of 22 cities have met National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and have PM10 concentrations less than 60 μg/m3. With coordinated actions, the average AQI of Delhi has shown improvement at AQI of 201 in 2025 as against 225 in 2018," the Union minister said while listing various measures taken by the government to tackle air pollution.
Tewari attacked the government over the response to his question about "reasons for the failure to prevent the Air Quality Index in National Capital Region from remaining at severe levels -- around 400 or above for nearly three consecutive months -- despite the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) and the specific lapses identified in its implementation or enforcement".
"It is sad that the government rather than appreciating the extent and gravity of the problem chose to duck it completely by trying to confuse and obfuscate an existential issue by trying to give inane statistics," he said.
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Trump says EU has until July 4 to approve last year's trade deal or it will face higher tariffs
Washington (AP): President Donald Trump has said in a social media post that goods from the European Union would face higher tariff rates if the 27-member bloc fails to approve last year's trade framework by July 4.
The announcement on Thursday appeared to be a deadline extension after the president said last Friday that EU autos would face a higher 25 per cent tariff starting this week. Trump made the updated announcement after what he described as a "great call" with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Still, the US president was displeased that the European Parliament had yet to finalize the trade arrangement reached last year, which was further complicated in February by the US Supreme Court ruling that Trump lacked the legal authority to declare an economic emergency to impose the initial tariffs used to pressure the EU into talks.
"A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO!" Trump posted. "I agreed to give her until our Country's 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs would immediately jump to much higher levels."
It was unclear from the post whether Trump was implying that the tariff rates would jump on all EU goods or the increase would only apply to autos.
His latest statement indicates he might be backing away from his earlier threat on EU autos by giving the European Parliament several more weeks to approve the agreement.
Under the original terms of the framework, the US would charge a 15 per cent tax on most goods imported from the EU.
But since the Supreme Court ruling, the administration has levied a 10 per cent tariff while investigating trade imbalances and national security issues, aiming to put in new tariffs to make up for lost revenues.
