- Frequent water sprinkling lowers numbers on screens, not pollution
Bhopal: City’s air quality continues to remain in the “very poor” category, yet Pollution Control authorities are projecting a misleading improvement by using excessive water sprinkling around live monitoring stations. While the air does not actually get cleaner, the displayed AQI figures temporarily drop.
At key locations—Collectorate Office, TT Nagar, and the Paryavaran Parisar in Shahpura—water is sprayed 10 to 15 times a day. These sites host live AQI monitors. The constant sprinkling settles dust only briefly, causing machines to record lower pollution levels even though harmful particles remain suspended in the air.
In front of the Collectorate, roads are sprinkled more than 15 times daily, giving an artificially cleaner reading for areas such as Lalghati, Royal Market, Hamidia Hospital and Idgah Hills. A similar pattern is followed at the Environment Complex in Shahpura, which influences readings for Arera Colony, Bittan Market and Vande Bharat Square. TT Nagar also receives continuous spraying, affecting data for Link Road, New Market and Roshanpur.
= Expert warning on misleading measures
Environmental expert Subhash C. Pandey criticises the practice, stating that reducing AQI on screens does nothing to stop toxic air from entering people’s lungs. He warns that with AQI crossing 300, morning walks should be avoided and children, the elderly and asthma patients should remain indoors. Unlike Delhi, where advisories and strict actions follow any spike in pollution, Bhopal is simply lowering graphs instead of improving real conditions.
Currently, only a handful of monitoring systems exist in the city. Experts say Bhopal needs at least 25. Areas like MP Nagar, Kolar Road, Bhanpur, and Hamidia Road lack real-time data and may be recording even worse pollution.
Experts urge two immediate steps: repair broken roads and enforce dust control, and strictly act against open garbage burning. They warn that Bhopal is copying Delhi’s flawed model—improving data, not the air—posing a serious public health risk.
