Is the air in our homes as dirty as the air outdoors? To find out, Newslaundry compared the air quality index (AQI) levels inside and outside a home in Munirka, South Delhi. Using our portable monitoring device – and without any purifiers running – we recorded an outdoor AQI of 342 and an indoor AQI of 352. Both fall squarely into the ‘very poor’ category.

Once the air purifier was turned on, the indoor AQI levels dropped from 352 to 142. But such devices are a luxury not everyone can afford. Interestingly, the nearest government (DPCC) monitoring station at Sri Aurobindo Marg recorded an AQI of only 200 (‘poor’) during the same period, highlighting the significant gap between official data and our lived realities. 

According to a recent study by scientists from BITS Pilani, NIT Warangal, and IIT Jodhpur, indoor air in Indian households can be “two to five times” more polluted than outdoor air due to everyday household activities such as cooking, sweeping, and handling unsegregated waste. 

This show is part of a collaborative campaign to tackle air pollution. Here’s how you can join the Fight To Breathe. Click here to power this campaign.