📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, MISR Team
Politics
Delhi’s AQI Reaches 3,000 on Diwali, AAP Accuses Govt of Fudging Data
✍️ India Today
🗓 09 Nov 2026, 11:02 AM
👁 15
During Diwali celebrations, Delhi’s air quality index surged to 3,000, prompting the Aam Aadmi Party to allege that the government has manipulated the figures.
On the night of Diwali, air quality monitoring stations across Delhi recorded an alarming AQI of 3,000, a figure that far exceeds the hazardous threshold. The spike was attributed to the widespread use of firecrackers and the release of fireworks in the city’s densely populated areas.
In response, leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) filed a formal complaint with the Delhi Pollution Control Board, alleging that the government has been deliberately manipulating the AQI data. The party’s spokesperson stated that the figures were “grossly inflated” to divert attention from the real pollution levels.
The Delhi government has yet to issue a statement addressing the accusations. Environmental experts warn that even if the reported value is accurate, the health risks posed by such high pollution levels are severe, especially for vulnerable populations.
The incident has sparked a debate over transparency in environmental reporting and the need for stricter enforcement of pollution control measures during festival periods.
As the city prepares for the next festival season, both the government and opposition parties are under pressure to ensure accurate monitoring and public awareness about air quality.
In response, leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) filed a formal complaint with the Delhi Pollution Control Board, alleging that the government has been deliberately manipulating the AQI data. The party’s spokesperson stated that the figures were “grossly inflated” to divert attention from the real pollution levels.
The Delhi government has yet to issue a statement addressing the accusations. Environmental experts warn that even if the reported value is accurate, the health risks posed by such high pollution levels are severe, especially for vulnerable populations.
The incident has sparked a debate over transparency in environmental reporting and the need for stricter enforcement of pollution control measures during festival periods.
As the city prepares for the next festival season, both the government and opposition parties are under pressure to ensure accurate monitoring and public awareness about air quality.