Congress Urges Review of Air Quality Standards Amid Rising PM2.5 Pollution Concerns

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has raised concerns over India's rising PM2.5 air pollution, citing studies including a 2024 Lancet Planetary Health report linking increased PM2.5 levels to higher mortality. He highlighted estimates of around 1.7 million annual deaths from PM2.5 exposure, a 38% rise since 2010. Ramesh criticized the government's repeated claims in Parliament that pollution-related deaths are inconclusive, contrasting this with Indian Council of Medical Research findings attributing over 1.2 million deaths in 2017 to air pollution. He called for urgent review and stricter enforcement of air quality standards and a focused National Clean Air Programme.