Haryana Minister Reveals Critical Flaws in Air Quality Monitoring as Pollution Crisis Deepens

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Gurugram:

Haryana Environment Minister Rao Narbir Singh has publicly confirmed that air quality index monitoring equipment installed throughout the state fails to accurately represent actual pollution levels.

During a Gurugram public forum this week, he revealed that most monitoring devices have a maximum display capability of 500 AQI, regardless of how much higher actual pollution levels might climb. He illustrated this limitation by referencing reports from Pakistan's Lahore recording 1,900 AQI, questioning why Gurugram never shows comparable readings despite similar pollution conditions.

The straightforward explanation he received was that "Our machines are only capable of showing up to 500."

The minister expressed significant personal concern, stating that residing in Gurugram has "reduced his lifespan by 10 years," while warning that children could face substantially more severe health consequences in the decades ahead.

Singh contrasted Gurugram's air quality with his recent experience in Bihar's Madhubani district, where he observed an AQI of just 15 while on election duty - a reading that evoked memories of the pristine skies from his childhood.

The minister also acknowledged his failure to fulfill a key campaign promise of creating a polythene-free Gurugram within three months. "I haven't been able to reduce it even by one per cent, and I won't be able to," he candidly admitted.

Despite Haryana's governmental prohibition on manufacturing and selling polythene products, Singh noted that plastic bags remain ubiquitously available - from small street vendors to major shopping centers. He estimated approximately 40% of regional pollution stems from polythene waste, which requires nearly 450 years to decompose, potentially affecting 18 generations into the future.

He further disclosed that polythene waste burning occurs daily at approximately 100 Gurugram locations, releasing harmful black smoke that persists in the atmosphere and dramatically worsens air quality.

The minister concluded by emphasizing that governmental initiatives alone cannot address this environmental crisis. He stressed that achieving a polythene-free Gurugram remains impossible without substantial citizen engagement and participation.