DPCC’s website stopped displaying real-time readings from several Delhi monitoring stations on Diwali night as pollution levels rose.
Stations in R K Puram, Nehru Nagar, Mundka, Sonia Vihar and Dwarka were among those that stopped reporting data.
R K Puram’s PM2.5 reading reached 924 micrograms per cubic metre by 9 pm, before its data became unavailable.
Delhi witnessed a sharp rise in pollution levels on Diwali night, with several areas recording PM2.5 concentrations far above permissible limits. However, just as pollution levels began climbing, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) website stopped displaying real-time data from several monitoring stations across the capital.
Stations in R K Puram, Nehru Nagar near Lajpat Nagar, Mundka, Sonia Vihar and Dwarka stopped reporting readings for several hours. The disruption came at a time when pollution levels were rising sharply across the city, NDTV reported.
R K Puram and Nehru Nagar were among the most polluted areas until 9 pm, with readings showing a steep rise in particulate matter concentration before the data became unavailable.
JNU Station Records Sharp Rise In PM2.5
While several monitoring stations in residential areas stopped reporting data, readings from the JNU station in South Delhi continued to show the rise in pollution.
At 8 pm, the PM2.5 concentration at JNU stood at 161 micrograms per cubic metre. At the same time, the reading in neighbouring R K Puram was 504 micrograms per cubic metre, more than three times the JNU level.
The R K Puram station recorded a further rise, with PM2.5 reaching 924 micrograms per cubic metre by 9 pm, after which its real-time readings were no longer available.
Meanwhile, the JNU station continued recording pollution levels, with PM2.5 reaching 786 micrograms per cubic metre by 11 pm. This was nearly five times the concentration recorded at 8 pm.
The readings from JNU captured the continuing rise in pollution even as several other monitoring stations stopped displaying data during the same period.
Data Disruption Reported On Previous Diwali Nights
The interruption in real-time pollution data during Diwali is not a new occurrence. The DPCC website, which is managed by the Delhi government's Environment Department, has reportedly stopped displaying readings from monitoring stations on previous Diwali evenings as well.
Such interruptions are generally attributed to technical glitches. However, the recurring unavailability of data during the period when pollution levels rise sharply has raised questions about the reliability and transparency of the monitoring system.
The latest disruption came despite Supreme Court guidelines and regulations aimed at restricting firecracker use and controlling pollution during Diwali.
