Delhi’s AQI row: At Anand Vihar, water sprinklers circle air quality monitors

A row has broken out over the air quality readings at Delhi's Anand Vihar area, a place often known for having some of the city's worst pollution.

The problem started when people noticed that two different air quality monitors, placed very close to each other, were showing very different results. One monitor was showing a "Very Poor" Air Quality Index (AQI), while the other was showing a much better "Moderate" AQI.

The reason for this difference seems to be a water sprinkler. One of the monitors was placed directly inside the area covered by a water sprinkler, which was dampening the dust and pollution particles right around it. This made the air quality reading from that specific monitor appear much cleaner than the air people were actually breathing just a short distance away.

Officials have now turned off the sprinkler and are investigating the matter. The report suggests this incident highlights a bigger issue: instead of just focusing on temporary fixes like sprinklers, the real need is to tackle the main, long-term sources of pollution in the area, such as heavy traffic, dust from roads, and waste burning.

In short, the situation shows that a sprinkler can make the reading on one monitor look better, but it doesn't solve the underlying and widespread pollution problem.

Read the original report here: Delhi’s AQI row: At Anand Vihar, water sprinklers circle air quality monitors