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HISTORICAL FACTS: Cpcb - Caught on Camera

In Delhi, breathing safely has been a coin toss for the last 4 years, says govt data

Data tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday revealed that the capital’s air quality breached the 200 AQI mark on 685 days since 2022 – crashing through the ‘poor’ threshold set by the CPCB and frequently spiralling into ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ territory.

Newslaundry

March 2, 2026: Warmer air but AQI still poor

For this episode of Aaj Ka AQI, Newslaundry visited Saket Metro Station Park in Delhi. The nearest CPCB monitoring station recorded an AQI of 135. But our on-ground device showed a much higher reading of 273 in the poor category.

Newslaundry

Feb 26, 2026: Delhi’s athletes and sports enthusiasts left gasping as air quality remains ‘poor’

For today’s episode of Aaj Ka AQI, Newslaundry visited the popular Siri Fort Sports Complex in South Delhi. Outside the sports complex, regularly visited by sports enthusiasts, our air quality monitor recorded an AQI of 290, which falls in the ‘poor’ category. Meanwhile, the nearest government station recorded a significantly…

Newslaundry

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Feb 25, 2026: Poor air quality outside the Supreme Court

For today’s Aaj Ka AQI, Newslaundry visited the Supreme Court. The nearest CPCB monitoring station reported an AQI of 282, while our own monitor recorded 230. Both readings place the air quality firmly in the ‘poor’ category (201–300).

Newslaundry

Feb 6, 2026: ‘Very poor’ air at Qutub Minar as funds to clean up Delhi's air remain unspent

For today’s Aaj Ka AQI, we visited the Qutub Minar. The closest CPCB monitoring station showed the AQI as 138, but our air quality monitor put the number at 305 – in the ‘very poor’ category. This toxic reality comes despite available resources.

Newslaundry

Feb 4, 2026: ‘Severe’ AQI at Parliament puts focus on budget’s weak pollution push

For today’s Aaj Ka AQI, Newslaundry travelled to the Parliament Complex, where the budget session is underway. The closest CPCB monitoring station showed the AQI as 282, but our air quality monitor put the number at 406 – in the 'severe’ category.

Newslaundry

Gasping for breath: Are Odisha’s twin cities going the Delhi way?

Air pollution levels are steadily rising across several cities in Odisha, particularly in the ‘Twin Cities’ of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the air quality index (AQI) in the Twin Cities has ranged between 230 and 300 since December 2025, oscillating between the ‘poor’…

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Jan 28, 2026: Despite rain, air quality remains ‘very poor’

For today’s episode of Aaj Ka AQI, we stood outside the Gopaldas building on Barakhamba Road, one of the city’s bustling economic hubs. The nearest official CPCB monitoring station at ITO recorded an AQI of 262, placing it in the ‘poor’ category. Our independent air quality monitor, however, recorded an…

Newslaundry

Jan 21, 2026: Visitors to Lodhi Garden breathe ‘very poor’ air as AQI hits 336

For today’s episode of Aaj Ka AQI, Newslaundry visited the famous Lodhi Garden in central Delhi. The nearest CPCB air quality monitoring station pegged the AQI at 283 in the ‘poor’ category, while our own monitor showed 336, in the ‘very poor’ category.

Newslaundry

Jan 15, 2026: Visitors to Delhi’s Qutub Minar breathe in ‘very poor’ air

For today’s episode of Aaj Ka AQI, Newslaundry visited the Qutub Minar – a landmark heritage site in the national capital. The nearest CPCB air quality monitoring station pegged the AQI at 317 in the “very poor” category, while our own monitor showed 380.

Newslaundry

Blue Star gets temporary relief as Delhi HC stays regulator’s e-waste price declaration

A court stay has temporarily stalled the Narendra Modi government’s latest attempt to enforce minimum prices in India’s e-waste carbon credit market.

Newslaundry

Jan 2, 2026: New Year is here, but Delhi’s air quality remains ‘poor’

Today’s Aaj Ka AQI is from Sanjay Van in South Delhi – one of the greenest stretches in the city, where people come to run, jog and walk. The nearest monitoring station to Sanjay Van is Aurobindo Marg, where the AQI at 11 am was 270 in the 'poor' category.…

Newslaundry

December 31, 2025: Delhi struggles with ‘very poor’ air, records zero clean air days this year

For today’s Aaj Ka AQI, Newslaundry travelled to Connaught Place, where hundreds are expected to assemble to ring in the new year. The AQI monitors installed there showed an AQI of 163. The closest CPCB monitoring station showed an AQI of 385, but our air quality monitor recorded 393 –…

Newslaundry

Dec 8, 2025: ‘Very poor’ air on Delhi’s busy roads

For this episode of Aaj Ka AQI, Newslaundry visited the ITO intersection in the national capital. The nearest CPCB monitor pegged the AQI at 326, or in the ‘very poor’ category. According to our air monitor, the AQI stood at 364, with PM2.5 at 204 and PM10 at 214.

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Newslaundry

Two-thirds of Delhi does not have reliable air quality data

As winter deepens, New Delhi is once again losing the fight for breath. Every winter, Delhi continues to choke under hazardous air — and this year is no exception. On November 18, the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB’s) 24-hour bulletin recorded a city-wide Air Quality Index (AQI) of 374, placing Delhi…

Newslaundry

How industries, chemicals ministry influenced India’s plastic rules

As diplomats from 175 countries convene for a plastics showdown in Geneva, India’s negotiators arrive armed with a playbook shaped less by environmental urgency and more by industry whispers.

Newslaundry

Exclusive: India’s e-waste mirage, ‘crores in corporate fraud’ amid govt lapses, public suffering

What happens to your old phone or fridge once you’re done with it? Maybe you sold it, maybe passed it on, or maybe it’s just gathering dust. When it finally breaks down, you’d hope it’s recycled responsibly: its toxic parts removed, with no harm to the environment or human health.…

Newslaundry

BJP govt thinks outdoor air purifiers can clean Delhi air, but data doesn’t back official claim

The Delhi government plans to install 150 outdoor purifiers at Nehru Park to filter out PM2.5. Last month, Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced that the decision was based on “successful” trials in four locations in the city.

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Newslaundry

Violation of guidelines? Here’s what’s wrong with Hitachi’s ‘recycling’ of e-waste

Air conditioner manufacturer Johnson Controls-Hitachi, now owned by the Bosch group in India, has allowed bids from recyclers far below the government-mandated floor price for e-waste, copies of internal records seen by Newslaundry show.

Newslaundry

June 5, 2025: Taking stock of AQI measures on World Environment Day

For this episode of Aaj Ka AQI, Newslaundry reached the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change on World Environment Day. The AQI at the nearest monitoring station was pegged at 137 or in the moderate category, as per the CPCB data.

Newslaundry

May 22, 2025: The air around Delhi’s forests

For this episode of Aaj Ka AQI, Newslaundry reached the Hauz Rani City Forest – among the several green spaces in South Delhi. Despite the green cover, the AQI at the nearest monitoring station was pegged at 155 or in the moderate category. As per CPCB data, PM2.5 levels were…

Newslaundry

Price caps on e-waste recycling will curb irresponsible disposal: Modi govt to Delhi HC

Can increased payouts to recyclers prevent irresponsible disposal of e-waste in the country? Yes, the Narendra Modi government has informed the Delhi High Court.

Newslaundry

A corporate mutiny threatens India’s e-wonderland dream

In just five years, India’s electronic waste has exploded from 11.4 lakh metric tonnes to a staggering 17.5 lakh metric tonnes – a 72 percent increase that equals the weight of 3.24 lakh adult Indian elephants.

Newslaundry

‘Delhi air quality data unreliable’: CAG report confirms Newslaundry probe

Nearly three months after Newslaundry’s investigation revealed that almost every air pollution monitoring station in Delhi is either blocked by trees and buildings or too close to busy roads, leading to faulty data, a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India has confirmed our findings.

Newslaundry

Data ‘discrepancies’ clouding NCAP progress: Report

A report by the Center for Research on Energy and Air has pointed out discrepancies in India’s air quality data, raising questions about the progress recorded by the National Clean Air Programme.

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