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Delhi's deteriorating air quality coincides with disruptions in the city's pollution-monitoring network. (Img: X)
New Delhi: The national capital's deteriorating air quality ahead of Diwali has coincided with disruptions in the city's pollution-monitoring network, with several air-quality stations failing to register or transmit real-time readings, exposing gaps in the surveillance of pollution levels.
An analysis of data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revealed that at least 11 monitoring stations across the national capital recorded interruptions on Friday. Among the affected locations were Nehru Nagar, Burari Crossing, Vasundhara Enclave and Nangloi.
The disruptions resulted in 22 missing hourly readings for PM2.5 and 27 gaps in PM10 data. Three stations, including IIT Delhi, Nangloi and NSIT Dwarka, reportedly experienced complete interruptions in recording various air-quality and meteorological parameters.
The problem has persisted over several days. The ITO monitoring station, for instance, reportedly failed to record PM10 levels for 86 consecutive hours between November 1 and November 4.
The data gaps assume significance as Delhi grapples with a sharp deterioration in air quality ahead of the festival. The city's average Air Quality Index (AQI) touched 382 on Friday, placing it in the 'Very Poor' category.
Amid the worsening conditions, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) activated Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR, imposing additional curbs to prevent further deterioration.
The disruption of monitoring infrastructure has, however, raised questions about the reliability and continuity of pollution surveillance at a time when accurate, real-time data is crucial for assessing the severity of the crisis and calibrating emergency interventions.
