India’s Air Pollution Crisis: Data Manipulation and Government Inaction

#AirPollution #AQI #DelhiToxicAir #ClimateCrisis

India’s air pollution crisis goes far beyond the winter headlines- it is today the biggest public health emergency in the country. Every year lakhs of people die due to air pollution and life expectancy in cities like Delhi is reduced by more than 8 years. As per latest studies, more than 70 of the world’s 100 most polluted cities are located in India.

In this video, we discuss whether air quality data is being manipulated or under-reported—from monitoring stations placed in green zones to sprinklers used around sensors and machines going offline during peak pollution days like Diwali. Only about 10% of the cities/towns in India have air quality monitoring stations. How reliable is our AQI data, and what are the systemic gaps?

We also break down the real causes of air pollution across India, how it remains a year-round problem and not just a seasonal issue linked to stubble burning or crackers. An industrial town on the border of Meghalaya & Assam, Byrnihat, was ranked as the world’s most polluted city in 2024 and Delhi was at number 2. We discuss the key pollutants, how they are measured and how they impact our health.

The video also looks at key institutions responsible for tackling air pollution—Pollution Control Boards and Commission for Air Quality Management- their mandates, performance, transparency issues, and whether they have the powers and will to address a crisis of this scale. Information accessed under the RTI Act uncovered major gaps - most states lacked action plans under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), poor monitoring systems, and missing accountability mechanisms.

We examine the government programs and policies currently in place—mist-spraying trucks, GRAP restrictions, AQI monitoring, clean-air funds and National Clean Air Programme etc. Are these steps adequate? Are funds being used effectively? Is the government serious about tackling industrial pollution? Does the government enforce regulations against polluting units? What more needs to be done to improve the air we breathe? What can people do to ensure clean air for themselves and their children?

Ritwick Dutta, environmental lawyer, joins transparency activists Anjali Bhardwaj and Amrita Johri on this edition of Jaanne Bhi Do Yaaro.

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