Environmentalists have raised concerns over the Centre’s decision to reduce the budget allocation for pollution control at a time when air quality in many cities remains poor to very poor. They said the funding is inadequate to address the growing public health crisis caused by pollution.

Experts said the Union Budget’s allocation for pollution control falls short at a time when several cities, especially in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, are struggling with ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ air quality.

Environmentalists see the Budget as a missed opportunity to tackle the health emergency.

Budget 2026 cuts pollution control allocation: The timing of the cut is troubling. Delhi-NCR and neighbouring regions continue to record hazardous air quality levels, leading to school closures, health advisories, and increased respiratory illnesses.

The Commission for Air Quality Management submitted its comprehensive long-term strategy to the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Delhi’s air quality hit a severe AQI of 440, marking the most polluted January in two years, due to stagnant winds and rising emissions.

New Delhi’s air quality remained in the severe category on Sunday, with AQI readings touching levels last seen two years ago, making the second half of January among the worst on record.

O índice de qualidade do ar (AQI) de Delhi saltou acentuadamente para a zona “severa” mais tóxica no domingo, marcando o dia de janeiro mais poluído em dois anos, com o AQI atingindo 440 e dominando a cidade.

Delhi recorded an AQI of 440, making it the city’s worst January air quality in two years as weak winds and higher emissions trapped pollution.

Pollutants are chemically reacting with the Red Fort’s sandstone surface, forming black crusts that corrode its iconic red façade. Emissions from vehicles, cement factories and thermal power plants are driving this degradation.

Environmentalists say emergency curbs offer short-term relief but fail to deliver lasting clean air

As Delhi battles severe air pollution every year, environmental experts have said that while emergency measures like the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) provide temporary relief, they have failed to address the root causes.

Dense fog and rising pollution levels have reduced visibility in Mumbai to less than 500 metres, with air quality remaining moderate.

The Delhi government has declared that residents’ welfare associations (RWAs), housing societies, institutions, government and private establishments, contractors, agencies or any other entity will be held responsible if a person engaged, employed or deployed under their authority is found indulging in open burning.

Delhi’s smog has resulted in black crusts on facade of the Red Fort even as years of efforts still fall short in protecting the Taj Mahal’s marble surface.

CPCB cited estimates from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology’s Decision Support System (DSS)

After repeated insistence from councillors, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has finalised a plan to introduce the use of cow dung cakes or logs in cremations on a pilot basis in three facilities — Green Park, Dwarka and Jwala Nagar. While councillors have pitched the move as an eco-friendly measure to reduce wood use and costs, experts have raised concerns over pollution and practical challenges.

After nearly two weeks of severe air pollution, Rohtak saw some relief as wind speed increased, helping to clear the air.

After Diwali, rising air pollution combined with slowing wind speed has led to a sharp drop in daytime temperatures, increasing health concerns.

Gurgaon’s air quality worsened sharply as low wind speed, dense fog and falling temperatures trapped pollutants near the ground, pushing the AQI into the ‘very poor’ category.