- By Akansha Pandey
- Thu, 30 Oct 2025 10:20 AM (IST)
- Source:Jagran News Network
Although the city's official Air Quality Index (AQI) improved to 242 on Wednesday after a consistent period in the red category, residents continued to face breathing difficulties due to a pervasive haze of smog.
This "on paper" improvement is being met with skepticism from environmentalists, who allege that pollution control efforts are being selectively concentrated near AQI monitoring stations to artificially lower the recorded data.
The discrepancy became evident as pollution control activities reportedly ceased in the evening, causing the AQI to rise sharply. In just four hours, the city's AQI increased by 25 points, climbing to 267 by 8:00 pm.
Pollution levels fluctuated throughout the day:
11:00 am: 219
3:00 pm: 223
4:00 pm: 230
7:00 pm: 257
From the morning, the sky was filled with haze and pollution, with wind speeds recorded at only four to five km per hour. Critics argue that while records show improvement, the actual pollution level in many parts of the city remains in the "red" (very poor) category, and this data manipulation could adversely affect public health.
Expert Analysis
Environmentalists support the claims of data skewing. According to environmentalist Amit Gupta, the constant fluctuation in the AQI is a direct result of anti-smog guns, water sprinklers, and road sweeping being deployed only within a 20 to 50-metre radius of the monitoring stations.
"At a distance of more than 100 metres from the monitoring stations, the pollution level is elevated," Amit Gupta stated. "This is an attempt to conceal the real pollution situation from the public."
He further explained that sprinkling water is only a temporary fix. "Sprinkling water near the monitoring stations means the machine only assesses pollution from a very small area. Once the effect of the sprinkling wears off, the soil will dry out. This will cause the pollution level to return to the very poor category."
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Enforcement And Station Status
Action Taken by Authority: After a notice was issued to the Noida Authority regarding increased pollution in sectors such as 116 and 74, the Authority began sprinkling water in various locations across the city on Wednesday.
Station Closed: The AQI monitoring station in Sector-125 remained closed throughout the day on Wednesday, and its pollution level could not be recorded.
Fine Imposed: A team from the Pollution Control Board conducted an inspection in Sector 142 on Wednesday. They found construction work underway at M/s One FNG (Plot 01) with construction material left in the open and no green shed, a violation of regulations. The board imposed a fine of Rs 500,000.