India, Nov. 11 -- The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has defended its air quality reporting after questions were raised over the Air Quality Index (AQI) readings recorded during and after Diwali.

The CPCB clarified that brief pollution spikes caused by firecrackers do not necessarily reflect the air quality levels used for public health advisories. In a statement issued on November 10, the pollution watchdog said the AQI is calculated using pollutant concentrations averaged over specified periods. It explained that the index reflects exposure over time and that short-lived increases in pollution, such as those during firecracker bursting, are not included in the 24-hour average used for the relevant pollutants.

The clarification...