New Delhi: The Congress party on Sunday sounded the alarm over India’s worsening air pollution crisis, calling for sweeping changes to the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and an urgent revision of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
Congress General Secretary and Communications In-Charge Jairam Ramesh described the situation as more than a respiratory problem, calling it a “major assault on our minds and bodies.” He labeled air pollution a public health emergency and a “national security threat” that affects the healthcare system, society, and future workforce.
In a post on social media platform X, Ramesh highlighted that around 2 million deaths in India in 2023 were linked to air pollution—a 43 percent increase since 2000. He emphasized that most of these fatalities, approximately nine out of ten, were caused by non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, lung cancer, diabetes, and dementia.
“India sees roughly 186 deaths per 100,000 people from air pollution, over ten times higher than in high-income nations, where the rate is 17 per 100,000,” Ramesh noted. He added that air pollution contributes to nearly 70 percent of COPD deaths, 33 percent of lung cancer deaths, 25 percent of heart disease deaths, and 20 percent of diabetes-related deaths in the country.
Ramesh also drew attention to emerging evidence linking particulate matter (PM 2.5) exposure to brain damage and accelerated cognitive decline. Globally, air pollution is estimated to contribute to around 626,000 dementia-related deaths in 2023.
“Despite the launch of NCAP in 2017, PM 2.5 levels continue to rise. Almost everyone in India now lives in areas where air pollution exceeds World Health Organization guidelines,” Ramesh said. He pointed out that India’s current PM 2.5 standards are eight times higher than the WHO’s annual exposure limits and four times the 24-hour limit.
The Congress leader urged an immediate overhaul of NCAP and a revision of the NAAQS, which were last set in 2009. To back his claims, Ramesh shared the findings of the “State of Global Air 2025” report, detailing air quality and its health impacts worldwide in 2023.
Ramesh’s statements underscore growing concerns over the public health and socio-economic impact of pollution, calling for decisive government action to address India’s escalating air crisis.
