Delhi's Dirty Air Secret: Is Pollution Data Being Faked?

India Today

This special report, featuring Sonal Mehrotra Kapoor, investigates serious allegations of air pollution data manipulation in Delhi's Anand Vihar, a known pollution hotspot. The core of the report questions, 'Can we trust the pollution numbers in Delhi?'. The investigation reveals a significant discrepancy between readings from an independent pollution monitor, which showed levels nearing 500, and the official government app, which reported an AQI of around 300. The report highlights the use of water sprinklers and anti-smog guns in close proximity to official monitoring stations, a practice that an on-site environmentalist confirms temporarily lowers pollution readings. This raises concerns about the accuracy of the data provided to the public, especially as reports indicate the Supreme Court has also started to question the reliability of pollution data from monitoring agencies.

Transcript

00:00Water sprinklers right next to the pollution monitoring system in full display.

00:07Allegations of pollution meters not working.

00:12Allegations also of data from the Diwali night missing.

00:19Generally everywhere it's over touching 500.

00:23I'm Sonal Merotra Kapoor and I'm on the streets of the national capital

00:27to find the answer to one question.

00:31Can we trust the pollution numbers in Delhi?

00:46Is Delhi hiding the real pollution numbers?

00:50Water sprinklers right next to the pollution monitoring system in full display.

00:56Allegations of pollution meters not working.

00:59Allegations also of data from the Diwali night missing.

01:04Serious questions being asked on whether there has been an attempt to water down the numbers.

01:10And now questions by the Supreme Court as well.

01:13I'm Sonal Merotra Kapoor and I'm on the streets of the national capital

01:17to find the answer to one question.

01:20Can we trust the pollution numbers in Delhi?

01:23Let's find out.

01:25This is location number one, Anand Vihar here in the national capital region.

01:44The most polluted part of the city.

01:47In fact, many say of the country as well.

01:49Rightly so because there is a bus depot over here.

01:52So what are we going to do?

01:54We are going to go to an independent monitoring system

01:57to try and see what are the numbers saying on our system

02:00versus what the government system is reporting.

02:03Let me bring on with me Bhavreen over here.

02:07Bhavreen is an environmentalist.

02:09Bhavreen, at Anand Vihar, what is your pollution meter saying?

02:13So it's varying between about 470, 82, 520 depending on where you're standing.

02:20And now see we've come into the shade and little, you know,

02:23but generally everywhere it's over touching 500.

02:28Touching 500 versus let's check now what we are getting on the weather app

02:34which is reporting the government data, right?

02:37So the weather app is reporting 300, right?

02:40So a difference at the moment from yours going 500 to ours saying roughly 300.

02:47This could be why?

02:49Because one, of course, every few minutes the sprinkling,

02:54the smoke guns, not the gun, it's the other vehicle that's coming.

02:58So there's a sudden change then and it's very temporary.

03:02So it goes down and then if you keep standing there

03:05or move a little bit further, it comes up.

03:07So that is the reality that PM2…

03:10This data that I'm getting on my phone actually comes from the government monitoring system,

03:14which is not very far from here.

03:16Let's go check out there what's happening, yeah?

03:18Come.

03:27So we looked at the numbers right on the streets

03:30where the common man really is.

03:32The numbers went to almost 500.

03:34Now we've come to the pollution monitoring system.

03:37Now you see fresh water is being sprinkled right behind me.

03:40Now I'm trying to understand, Bhavreen,

03:43that because of the watering down,

03:46do the numbers actually come down?

03:48Can we see that?

03:49Yes.

03:50What is your…

03:51What is your numbers?

03:52The numbers are now…

03:53The numbers here as we walked here,

03:54and now they've come down to about 300.

03:56They've also gone to 290 and 300 it's varying.

03:59So this is a temporary,

04:01because when you will put water,

04:03the numbers will reflect in that.

04:05But nothing is going to happen to the PM2.5,

04:08for that matter, even PM10.

04:09You know, it will settle down for some time,

04:12but then it will eventually,

04:13when there's no water,

04:14they will rise up,

04:16and then of course now there's slight wind and all,

04:18it will take it away.

04:20So you know,

04:21that overall reflection shows in the future numbers also.

04:25So you are saying it is fairly conclusive

04:28that because of the watering around the monitoring system

04:32and other places,

04:33numbers do come down, that's clear?

04:35Absolutely.

04:36Even while we were there,

04:37you know,

04:38when they, you know,

04:39the vehicle of the water,

04:40you know,

04:41what they're sending,

04:42not a gun,

04:43but I don't know what they call it,

04:44sprinklers were going.

04:45Immediately there was a difference,

04:46because immediately the difference will reflect.

04:49But then if you keep standing there for a few minutes,

04:51maybe, you know,

04:528 to 10,

04:5314,

04:5415 minutes,

04:55it will just wash off.

04:56Okay.

04:57So this was location number one.

04:58This is Anand Vihar.

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