Air Quality Monitoring-Addressing Data Shadow Regions

September 29, 2025

India’s air quality monitoring has grown rapidly, yet vast regions and millions remain in “data shadows” without reliable information on the air they breathe. This report reveals the scale of these blind spots and their risks to public health and governance. Bridging these gaps is essential not only for accountability under national programmes but also to protect vulnerable communities. The findings call for urgent action: redistributing monitors, adopting hybrid systems with sensors and satellites, and making open data central to policy. Closing these gaps is key to advancing equitable, evidence-based clean air action across the country.