Maharashtra legislators flag rising pollution, minister cautions against false AQI data

During a recent session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, several lawmakers voiced alarm over deteriorating air quality across the state, citing rising levels of particulate matter and other pollutants.
The legislators urged the state government to accelerate implementation of existing emission control measures and to improve public dissemination of reliable air‑quality information.
Responding, the state’s Environment Minister warned that inaccurate or manipulated Air Quality Index (AQI) figures could mislead citizens and undermine health‑related actions, and called for stricter verification of data released by monitoring agencies.
The minister also announced that the department will audit current AQI reporting mechanisms and work with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board to ensure transparency.