India Ranks Fifth in Global Air Pollution, Jairam Ramesh Criticizes Government’s Inaction

The 2024 World Air Quality Report by Swiss air quality firm IQAir has placed India as the fifth most polluted country in the world, with a population-weighted PM2.5 concentration of 50.6 μg/m³, ten times higher than the WHO’s safe limit of 5 μg/m³. The report reveals that 74 of the world’s 100 most polluted cities are in India, with Brynihat in Meghalaya ranking as the most polluted city globally, followed by New Delhi.

Following the report’s release, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh launched a sharp attack on the government, calling its response to air pollution chaotic and ineffective. He accused the ruling dispensation of failing to acknowledge the crisis, underfunding key programs, and mismanaging allocated resources.

Citing multiple studies from 2024, Ramesh highlighted the severe health impacts of rising pollution levels:

• A Lancet study in July 2024 linked 7.2% of all deaths in India to air pollution, with 34,000 deaths annually in 10 major cities.

• A Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) study found that the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) focused mainly on road dust mitigation, neglecting major sources like industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, and biomass burning—the primary contributors to PM2.5 pollution.

• Despite allocating funds for pollution control, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) left ₹665.75 crore unspent over the last five years.

• In July 2024, the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change claimed in the Rajya Sabha that there was "no conclusive data" linking air pollution to mortality, contradicting global scientific consensus.

• An August 2024 study by the International Institute of Population Sciences found that in areas exceeding National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), adult mortality rates increased by 13%, while child mortality doubled.

Ramesh accused the government of using a four-pronged approach of denial, underfunding, misallocation, and inaction in tackling air pollution. He demanded urgent policy changes, including:

• Recognizing air pollution as a public health crisis and revising outdated pollution laws, including the Air Pollution (Control and Prevention) Act, 1981 and NAAQS (2009).

• Increasing NCAP funding from ₹10,500 crore for 131 cities to at least ₹25,000 crore.

• Focusing on PM2.5 reduction rather than just road dust mitigation.

• Strengthening municipal and state coordination by adopting a regional ‘airshed’ approach for air quality control.

• Enforcing stricter pollution norms on coal power plants, ensuring all install Fluoride Gas Desulfurizers (FGDs) by 2025.

• Restoring the independence of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and reversing anti-environment amendments introduced in the past decade.

Ramesh warned that without decisive action, India’s air pollution crisis would continue to threaten millions of lives, urging the government to take immediate corrective measures.

Also Read: Meghalaya CM Blames Industries on Assam Side for Byrnihat’s Pollution