Turns out Delhi's air during Diwali was much worse than official reports showed.
CREA found that pollution levels were actually 49% higher because the Central Pollution Control Board capped PM2.5 readings at 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter, ignoring anything above that.
When those missing numbers were included, the average pollution jumped from 269 to 400 micrograms per cubic meter for the day.
CREA finds 255 missing Delhi readings
CREA spotted 255 missing hourly readings (about 18% of all data) just over November 8-9, and filling those gaps revealed some stations even hit over 3,000 micrograms per cubic meter.
The group is pushing for more transparency and better ways to grade air quality so people know what they're really breathing.
CREA's Manoj Kumar urges reporting transparency
CREA's Manoj Kumar said this shows how important it is to recognize peak pollution times, especially around events like Diwali.
He hopes these findings push for more honest reporting and greater transparency.