New Delhi, Dec 31 (IANS) Delhi Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood on Wednesday said the government is making "serious efforts" to address the worsening pollution problem in the national capital, while also pointing out that environmental conditions in neighbouring states are significantly affecting the city's air quality. The capital's air quality deteriorated further on Wednesday, slipping into the 'severe' category, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 408. Dense fog combined with heavy pollution sharply reduced visibility across large parts of the city, adding to commuter woes.

Speaking to reporters during an inspection at Janakpuri C2C Block, Sood said, "This pollution is not caused only by current factors or solely by Delhi. The environment in neighbouring states also plays a major role in Delhi's pollution. That is why the Delhi government is in talks with neighbouring states." He said the government is working on multiple fronts to tackle the crisis. "Efforts are being made to control dust, strengthen public transport, and reduce emissions from vehicles, etc, to reduce the pollution levels. Last year, apart from the odd/even formula, if something had been done, maybe today, there would not have been such problems in Delhi. The previous government did not do anything, and now we are dealing with the work they had ignored," Sood said.

Emphasising that the government is taking concrete action rather than relying on slogans, the Minister said, "We are working day and night to deal with the pollution problem. Serious steps have to be taken to reduce the pollution rather than just slogans that the previous government used to make." "Apart from the odd/even formula, we are working on a new EV policy, efforts are underway to control dust on roads, and Phase V of the metro is also being introduced for public transportation. All these things will take some time, but we are continuously working to find solutions for the pollution problem of Delhi."

Sood also highlighted regular monitoring and inspections being carried out by the government. "Every week, the Delhi Ministers and senior government officials visit around three places to inspect cleanliness and other development works," he said. "In the past year, I have addressed several issues as an MLA. I want to assure the public that whether it is the Municipal Corporation or any other department, under the Delhi government, we will resolve all problems. Passing the responsibility onto others is now a thing of the past. We will take responsibility ourselves and work to reduce the difficulties faced by the people of Delhi," he added.

Meanwhile, air quality remained alarming across several parts of the capital. The persistent foggy conditions coincided with worrying projections from air quality forecasters, who warned that pollution levels across the national capital region are likely to worsen further as the year draws to a close.