All 29 air monitoring stations of Haryana’s pollution control board are defunct

All 29 air quality monitoring stations of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) are currently closed. 

Newslaundry visited four major monitoring stations in Gurugram, including the three managed by HSPCB in Vikas Sadan, Teri Gram, Gurugram University in Sector 51, and the one managed by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) at the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISC) in Gwal Pahari. 

All three HSPCB air monitoring stations were closed. There was no technical or permanent staff present, and the monitoring units were locked.

Newslaundry approached the HSPCB’s Gurugram office, where we met regional officer Akanksha Tanwar and scientist Aparnesh Kaushik. Both officers, however, refused to make a statement on record.

Tanwar said, "We are trying to start these stations as soon as possible, and we are continuously writing to the headquarters in Panchkula in this regard. But so far, we have only got assurances."

However, the negligence of HSPCB is at the root of this crisis. The contract of the agency operating HSPCB’s air quality monitoring stations expired on October 31, 2024. But the board did not make any alternative arrangement in time. As a result, the stations started closing one by one. By December 31, 2024, about 50 percent of the monitoring stations were closed, and now, all 29 stations are completely inactive.

We also spoke to air quality expert Sachin Pawar, who said that at a time when monitoring air quality is extremely important, such a system breakdown can lead to a serious public health crisis.

Watch.

This reoport 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.