Delhi AQI Data Under Scrutiny as Monitoring Stations Go Offline During Diwali Peak Pollution

Delhi recorded its most polluted Diwali in five years with an average AQI of 376, but official figures likely understated the severity as multiple monitoring stations went offline during peak firecracker hours.

Monitoring stations go offline

Data from Delhi’s 59 air quality monitoring stations showed missing readings increased sharply as Diwali night progressed. Only one station had missing data at 7 pm on Sunday, but that number rose to 23 by 11 pm.

By midnight, 29 stations were not reporting data. The figure peaked at 36 non-functional stations at 1 am on Monday, leaving just 23 active stations reporting readings across the capital.

Experts question data gaps

Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of the Centre for Science and Environment, criticized the monitoring network’s failure to provide real-time readings during a public health emergency. When substantial public funds have been established for Delhi-NCR’s air quality monitoring network, a data eclipse precisely during peak Diwali pollution is inexplicable, Roychowdhury said.

Discrepancies in official figures

Private monitoring platforms painted a much more hazardous picture than official figures. Swiss air quality monitoring platform IQAir recorded an AQI of 245 at 8:30 am on Monday, while AQI.in recorded a reading of 637 and reported a peak of 2,283 after Diwali.

Opposition leaders accused the government of data fraud. Saurabh Bharadwaj of the Aam Aadmi Party alleged that authorities manipulated air quality readings to downplay pollution levels, comparing the situation to tampering with a diabetes monitoring device.

Kapil Mishra seeks action as AQI averages 344

Delhi cabinet minister Kapil Mishra asked reporters during a press conference to share details of AQI monitoring stations reported to be non-functional, stating he would seek action on the matter.

The average AQI dropped to 344 by 4 pm on Monday. Bawana recorded the worst AQI at 396, followed by Burari at 393, while 47 monitoring stations were recording data at that time.