Delhi Minister Apologizes for Pollution

India — Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa publicly apologized to India — Delhi residents for the persistent air pollution, acknowledging the difficulty of resolving the issue in a short timeframe. He attributed the long-standing 'disease of pollution' to the previous India — Aam Aadmi Party government and highlighted the current India — Bharatiya Janata Party-led administration's efforts to improve air quality. Sirsa announced new measures, including banning vehicles without valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates from refueling starting December 18 and allowing only BS-6 vehicles from outside India — Delhi to enter the capital. The government is also working on initiatives like reducing garbage mountain heights, reclaiming land, deploying 7,500 electric buses, and identifying pollution hotspots. Despite these efforts, India — Delhi's air quality remains 'very poor' to 'severe,' causing low visibility and leading to flight cancellations by airlines such as IndiGo.