‘Unacceptable’: TN Congress chief hits out at DK Shivakumar over Mekedatu dam remarks

The Congress party criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (November 14, 2026) for his 2024 Lok Sabha election promise, "Abki baar, 400-paar," which they claim has materialized in Delhi's air quality. The city's Air Quality Index (AQI) has surged above 400, reaching 348 in the 'very poor' category, according to a post on X by Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh. Out of 59 monitoring stations, seven reported AQI in the 'severe' range, indicating dangerously high pollution levels.

Ramesh highlighted the worsening air quality, stating that Delhi had become the most polluted city globally, causing breathing difficulties for residents, particularly children and the elderly, and increasing hospital admissions. He likened the situation to the "air itself turning to poison."

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) analysis revealed that Delhi's average PM2.5 concentration in the week leading up to Deepavali reached 236 micrograms per cubic metre, the highest in three years. Several AQI monitoring stations in Delhi have already recorded 'severe' category levels (400-500) in recent days, with the city's average AQI surpassing the 400-mark on November 13, 2026.