Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Anurag Dhanda has accused the BJP-led Delhi government of misleading residents over the city’s air pollution levels, alleging that water is being sprayed around Air Quality Index (AQI) monitoring stations to influence pollution readings.
In a post on social media, Dhanda targeted Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa and questioned why water was being sprayed near AQI monitoring equipment instead of focusing on measures to reduce pollution across the national capital. He also challenged the BJP’s criticism of Punjab, asking whether the alleged practice was being carried out by Punjab.
Anurag Dhanda Raises Allegations of AQI Data Manipulation
The remarks came after AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj shared a video alleging that water was being sprayed directly around an AQI monitoring station at ITI Jahangirpuri. Bharadwaj claimed that the practice could artificially lower recorded pollution levels without improving the overall air quality in the surrounding areas.
He alleged that such activity could affect particulate matter readings, particularly PM2.5 and PM10, and give residents an inaccurate picture of the pollution they are exposed to. Bharadwaj described the alleged practice as a serious public-health concern, arguing that people might rely on lower AQI figures and underestimate the risks of outdoor exposure.
AAP Seeks Investigation Into Monitoring Stations
According to a report by The Tribune, Bharadwaj has submitted a formal complaint to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), seeking an independent investigation into the alleged water spraying and an audit of Delhi’s air-quality monitoring stations.
