Goa, Nov. 12 -- India's growing obsession with the Air Quality Index (AQI) is raising questions about whether the country is measuring and communicating air pollution effectively, with experts arguing that greater emphasis should be placed on actual concentrations of harmful pollutants such as PM2.5 and PM10.

Every day, millions of people check air quality readings to determine whether pollution levels have reached 200, 300 or even 400. Television channels highlight rising AQI figures, weather applications issue colour-coded warnings, and governments announce emergency measures as air quality deteriorates.

However, concerns are emerging that excessive dependence on a single AQI figure could prevent people from understanding the actual n...