New Delhi: The Delhi government sent out 114 water tankers on Saturday (November 6)  to sprinkle water on roads to settle dust, one of the major contributors to air pollution, after New Delhhi’s air quality deteriorated following the Diwali festival.

The water tankers were flagged down by Environment Minister Gopal Rai, who described it as a "emergency measure" to assist people. "Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister, launched an action plan last month that is being implemented across the city. We're running a campaign with the people of Delhi to check the local source of air pollution in the city, whether it's dust, vehicles, or biomass pollution," Rai told reporters. On Diwali, he said, crop residue burning in Punjab and Haryana, as well as the bursting of firecrackers in the city, contributed to air pollution.

"Stubble burning is becoming more common even today." More than 4,000 incidents were reported yesterday, up from around 3,500 the day before. All of this has an effect on the air quality in Delhi. We are sprinkling water from the tankers as an emergency measure and to assist the people. We've even put in smog guns," said the Aam Aadmi Party leader. As the city's air quality index (AQI) entered the'severe' category on Diwali night and continued its upward trend to reach 462 at noon on Friday, Rai blamed the BJP for people defying the firecracker ban, alleging that the saffron party forced them to burst crackers on purpose.

Despite ban, fireworks in Delhi, 163 injured

Residents of Delhi are gasping for air as the air quality remains 'severe.'

Fire department received 152 fire calls in Delhi on Diwali