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| Plan to Verify Delhi Pollution Is Called Way to Hide It | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| NEW DELHI — This megacity’s modest effort to warn residents about unhealthy spikes in air pollution levels in real time may soon end, after a decision to first send the data to be authenticated by the central government. | NEW DELHI — This megacity’s modest effort to warn residents about unhealthy spikes in air pollution levels in real time may soon end, after a decision to first send the data to be authenticated by the central government. |
| Some experts and activists immediately questioned the need for such checks, accusing the government of trying to hide — or worse, alter — data that shows Delhi’s air to be the world’s most toxic at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is pushing for greater industrialization. Recent high readings, which consistently exceed Beijing’s pollution readings, have alarmed the city’s Indian elites and expatriate community. | |
| Although the government says it will release the checked data daily, at least one official questioned whether that would happen consistently. Any delay in the release of the information, critics say, deprives people of the opportunity to protect themselves against bad air by limiting their time outdoors. | |
| Five officials contacted by telephone on Wednesday refused to answer questions about the new policy. | Five officials contacted by telephone on Wednesday refused to answer questions about the new policy. |
| A statement issued on Tuesday by India’s environment ministry said, “The unified system, expected to be in position in maximum two weeks’ time, will ensure authentic air quality information of Delhi to public at large.” The change is intended to ensure that the many government departments monitoring Delhi’s air “follow a uniform scientific calibration protocol and validation process.” | A statement issued on Tuesday by India’s environment ministry said, “The unified system, expected to be in position in maximum two weeks’ time, will ensure authentic air quality information of Delhi to public at large.” The change is intended to ensure that the many government departments monitoring Delhi’s air “follow a uniform scientific calibration protocol and validation process.” |
| But B. Kumar, who retired in 2013 as an official of the Delhi pollution committee and who helped create the present monitoring method, said on Wednesday that the system had worked well. | But B. Kumar, who retired in 2013 as an official of the Delhi pollution committee and who helped create the present monitoring method, said on Wednesday that the system had worked well. |
| “It’s totally automatic, and the data is transferred directly from the machines to the website, so there’s nothing to authenticate,” said Mr. Kumar, who like many Indians uses an initial for his first name. “If they feel there is a problem, they could just check the equipment and see what needs to be solved.” | “It’s totally automatic, and the data is transferred directly from the machines to the website, so there’s nothing to authenticate,” said Mr. Kumar, who like many Indians uses an initial for his first name. “If they feel there is a problem, they could just check the equipment and see what needs to be solved.” |
| The new policy requires that Delhi’s data be sent for authentication to the Central Pollution Control Board, overseen by the national government, Mr. Kumar said. | The new policy requires that Delhi’s data be sent for authentication to the Central Pollution Control Board, overseen by the national government, Mr. Kumar said. |
| “They just don’t want people to see the actual data,” he said. | |
| Mr. Kumar said no one works at the central board at night or on weekends, which he said would result in long delays before the information was made public. | Mr. Kumar said no one works at the central board at night or on weekends, which he said would result in long delays before the information was made public. |
| Sarath Guttikunda, director of Urban Emissions, an independent research group based in Delhi, also criticized the government’s decision, saying that instead of taking measures to improve Delhi’s air, officials are trying to suppress information about it. | Sarath Guttikunda, director of Urban Emissions, an independent research group based in Delhi, also criticized the government’s decision, saying that instead of taking measures to improve Delhi’s air, officials are trying to suppress information about it. |
| The city’s data is “not that reliable to begin with,” Dr. Guttikunda said. “And blocking that data from coming out in real time and somehow correcting it in some back office will only make it even more unreliable.” | The city’s data is “not that reliable to begin with,” Dr. Guttikunda said. “And blocking that data from coming out in real time and somehow correcting it in some back office will only make it even more unreliable.” |
| Among the existing problems, Dr. Guttikunda said, are frequent, unexplained gaps in the data. | Among the existing problems, Dr. Guttikunda said, are frequent, unexplained gaps in the data. |
| During a visit in January by President Obama, India signed an agreement that would bring to the country a system called AirNow, which is used in the United States to measure and quickly disseminate data about air quality. The United States Embassy in Delhi publishes information on its website from an air monitor on embassy grounds, although the data is averaged over a 24-hour period and does not provide a good snapshot of the air quality at any given moment. | During a visit in January by President Obama, India signed an agreement that would bring to the country a system called AirNow, which is used in the United States to measure and quickly disseminate data about air quality. The United States Embassy in Delhi publishes information on its website from an air monitor on embassy grounds, although the data is averaged over a 24-hour period and does not provide a good snapshot of the air quality at any given moment. |
| An estimated 1.5 million people die annually in India, about one-sixth of all Indian deaths, as a result of outdoor and indoor air pollution, a problem caused in part by the widespread use of cow dung as cooking fuel. | An estimated 1.5 million people die annually in India, about one-sixth of all Indian deaths, as a result of outdoor and indoor air pollution, a problem caused in part by the widespread use of cow dung as cooking fuel. |
| The country has the world’s highest death rate from chronic respiratory diseases, and more deaths from asthma than any other nation, according to the World Health Organization. Air pollution also contributes to both chronic and acute heart disease, the leading cause of death in India. | The country has the world’s highest death rate from chronic respiratory diseases, and more deaths from asthma than any other nation, according to the World Health Organization. Air pollution also contributes to both chronic and acute heart disease, the leading cause of death in India. |
| “People have the right to know whether the day’s air quality is good enough to go outside,” said Dr. Sundeep Salvi, director of the Chest Research Foundation in Pune. “If they don’t trust their monitors to provide good data, they should get new monitors. What they shouldn’t do is stop releasing the data.” | “People have the right to know whether the day’s air quality is good enough to go outside,” said Dr. Sundeep Salvi, director of the Chest Research Foundation in Pune. “If they don’t trust their monitors to provide good data, they should get new monitors. What they shouldn’t do is stop releasing the data.” |