Air purifiers giving reality check to Delhi’s AQI? Netizens take to social media; point at difference in reading | India News

NEW DELHI: Air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region is plunging to hazardous levels. With air purifiers becoming the need of the time, like how water purifiers made their way into Indian households, the discourse around the deteriorating air quality is getting serious. Several netizens on social media have come forth with pictures of their air purifier filters, the conditions of which raise severe concern about the air we breathe.Former DUSU president Ronak Khatri also shared how his air purifier had different readings from what the official records have been reflecting. He said, “The AQI that appeared on checking the AQI from the Air Purifier at my home turned out to be more than the figures displayed by the government.” The video has garnered more than 440k views. People in the comment section had their own debate regarding whether the information was correct.

Other users also shared the striking difference between the AQI reflected in the official data and what their air purifier reflects. “AQI as per official data 161 on Aurobindo Marg. AQI as per car air purifier 403,” wrote the user sharing the images of both the readings.Another user shared an image from Kartavya Path where the India Gate has absolutely disappeared behind the smog. “Can you believe there’s the India Gate of Delhi in this picture behind a floating veil of smoke of 500+ AQI,” the user wrote.The NCR is not untouched by the toxicity either. With the corporate boom transforming regions like Noida and Gurgaon, the rise in dust and pollution has become an unavoidable hazard. Now, with the comparisons of smoking cigarettes already in discussion, a picture shared by a user residing in Gurgaon gave a visible depiction of the toxicity we are inhaling every day.“This is my air purifier filter in Gurgaon. The land of ₹200 crore apartments, glossy towers & lungs working overtime like interns at Big 4,” user named Isha wrote, “welcome to the city where we pay premium for polluted air. Efficiency, but make it toxic.”Another user named Pankhuri Pathak from Noida also shared an image showing the condition of her air purifier filter in 20 days. “Condition of my air purifier filter in 20 days,” she wrote, “imagine what’s going into our lungs.”Conversely, some users have pointed out the difference between the AQI of Delhi and Nainital, claiming Delhi’s air is better than Nainital’s. A user shared the screenshots of the difference between the AQI and said, “The AQI of Anand Vihar in Delhi is better than Nainital, we are breathing in such clean air. All thanks to Rekha Gupta.”Either way, the AQI of the Delhi-NCR region is still in the ‘poor’ category. Authorities have already implemented GRAP-2 aimed at curbing emissions. Over 20,000 challans have reportedly been issued to vehicles failing to comply with pollution-related restrictions. Yet, experts warn that temporary measures will not suffice against the chronic air quality problem gripping the capital year after year.