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From The Federal

Owned by New Generation Media Corporation Pvt. Ltd.

Watch | Delhi AQI mystery: Why did air monitors go silent on Diwali night?

Watch | Delhi AQI mystery: Why did air monitors go silent on Diwali night?

What's behind this

During the Diwali night of November 8‑9, Delhi’s air monitoring network went silent, with over 250 PM2.5 data points absent from the Central Pollution Control Board website, according to a CREA analyst. The missing readings and differing app formulas left residents uncertain about the true pollution level. Subsequent reports indicated that the city’s overall Air Quality Index rose to 319, returning it to the ‘very poor’ category. The lack of official data meant the worst Diwali‑night air quality was not reflected in CPCB records.

AI-generated overview from 3 outlets. It summarises their reporting and adds no reporting of its own.

RSS excerpt

Missing PM2.5 readings and varying app formulas left Delhi residents confused during peak pollution. Which AQI number actually tells the real story?

Coverage arrived over 45 hours. First from The Federal, latest from The Federal.

High Corroboration 9 news outlets reporting

How this event was covered

First reported by The Federal at 12:17 UTC on 10 Nov.

Coverage ran into a second day.

Across 3 desks: business, india, tech.

All 9 newsrooms, and who owns them

Compare all reporting outlets (9)

  2. 2 hours later
  4. 9 hours later
  5. The Economic Times Bennett, Coleman & Co.

    ET Graphics: Why emergency traffic curbs in 2026 failed to clear Delhi's toxic winter air

    A CSE analysis finds that Delhi's emergency traffic curbs failed to ease congestion or improve air quality in early winter 2026, while Diwali firecrackers triggered a sharp pollution spike. The report examines the contribution of transport, stubble burning and other sources, emerging pollution…

    Compare on Varta → Read at The Economic Times ↗
  6. 10 hours later
  8. 42 minutes later
  9. Free Press Kashmir Free Press Kashmir

    India’s air quality index may understate pollution during extreme episodes, experts warn

    The Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) decision to exclude particulate matter readings exceeding 1,000 micrograms per cubic metre from Air Quality Index (AQI) calculations has raised concerns among environmental experts, who say the practice could understate the severity of pollution during…

    Compare on Varta → Read at Free Press Kashmir ↗
  10. 3 minutes later
  12. 3 hours later
  14. 41 minutes later
  16. 3 minutes later
  17. The Federal New Generation Media Corporation Pvt. Ltd. Current article

    Watch | Delhi AQI mystery: Why did air monitors go silent on Diwali night?

    Missing PM2.5 readings and varying app formulas left Delhi residents confused during peak pollution. Which AQI number actually tells the real story?

    Read at The Federal ↗

Who did not run this

9 newsrooms ran this event. 22 others published in India recently and did not.

See which 22 newsrooms
  • ANI ANI Media
  • DT Next Daily Thanthi Group
  • Deccan Chronicle Deccan Chronicle Holdings
  • Deccan Herald The Printers (Mysore) Pvt. Ltd.
  • Frontline The Hindu Group (Kasturi & Sons)
  • Greater Kashmir GK Communications Pvt. Ltd.
  • India Today Living Media India
  • Kashmir Life Kashmir Life
  • Mathrubhumi English Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Co.
  • NE Now NE Now
  • OpIndia Aadhyaasi Media and Content Services Pvt. Ltd.
  • Organiser Bharatiya Prakashan (RSS)
  • Rising Kashmir Rising Kashmir
  • The Assam Tribune Assam Tribune Group
  • The Avenue Mail The Avenue Mail
  • The Hindu Kasturi & Sons Ltd.
  • The Indian Express Indian Express Group
  • The New Indian Express Express Publications (Madurai) Ltd.
  • The Pioneer The Pioneer
  • The Siasat Daily Siasat Daily
  • The South First The South First
  • The Times of India Bennett, Coleman & Co.

Counted from the newest hundred stories in the section, not from every newsroom in India.

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