Gaurav Gogoi calls for accountability amid Delhi pollution data controversy

• Gaurav Gogoi called for political accountability amid reports of gaps in Delhi’s air pollution monitoring data

• Several stations reportedly stopped displaying PM2.5 readings during crucial hours after pollution levels rose sharply

• Possible technical explanations have been cited, while the gaps have prompted questions about monitoring reliability and transparency

Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday called for greater political accountability as reports of missing air pollution readings in Delhi prompted questions about the reliability and transparency of the capital’s monitoring systems.

“We need politicians that are accountable to the people of India on the most important public concerns,” Gogoi wrote on X.

His remarks followed reports that PM2.5 readings became unavailable at several monitoring stations during crucial hours after particulate pollution levels increased sharply.

The gaps have drawn attention to whether monitoring equipment can consistently capture and report data during extreme pollution episodes. Authorities and experts have cited possible technical explanations, but the reports have fuelled demands for clarity about the missing readings.

Gogoi did not name the BJP-led Union government or the Delhi administration in his post. His intervention nevertheless brought political accountability into the debate over the information available to residents during periods of hazardous air quality.

Delhi’s recurring pollution crisis has frequently led to disputes between the Centre and governments in the capital and neighbouring states. Political exchanges have focused on sources including crop residue burning, vehicle emissions, construction dust and industrial activity.

The reported interruptions in monitoring have added questions about data availability to that debate, alongside the measures needed to reduce pollution.

With IANS inputs