The opposition attacked the government, accusing it of neglecting the worsening air pollution crisis in India. Jairam Ramesh, General Secretary (Communications) of the Indian National Congress (INC), condemned the government’s inaction and policy failures in addressing the public health emergency posed by air pollution.

Ramesh highlighted alarming findings from recent studies, including one published in the Lancet journal, which revealed that 7.2 per cent of all deaths in India are linked to air pollution, resulting in around 34,000 deaths annually in just ten cities. He criticised the government’s response as “inattention and policy chaos.”

The Centre for Science and Environment’s report also exposed the government’s poorly designed interventions in pollution control, focusing mainly on mitigating road dust rather than addressing more significant sources of pollution. The National Clean Air Program (NCAP) has been criticised for its limited scope and lack of effective enforcement mechanisms.

Ramesh pointed out that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has left more than 75 per cent of the Environment Protection Charge (EPC) and Environmental Compensation (EC) funds unspent over the past five years, a “gross misuse of resources” that could have been used to save lives and reduce pollution.

The opposition’s anger was further fueled by the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change’s claim that there was “no conclusive data” to directly link air pollution to deaths, which Ramesh described as “shocking.”

A new study by the International Institute of Population Sciences revealed that air pollution is taking a severe toll on public health, with a 13 per cent increase in premature mortality among adults and a 100 per cent increase in mortality among children in districts where air pollution levels exceed the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).

Ramesh called for urgent action from the government, starting with acknowledging the public health crisis linked to air pollution. He demanded a drastic increase in funding for NCAP, expansion of the program to a Rs 25,000 crore initiative, and a reorientation of focus to key sources of emissions.

Other critical measures proposed by the opposition include adopting a regional or airshed approach for air quality control, providing NCAP with legal backing and enforcement mechanisms, and enhancing data monitoring capacity. They also urged immediate enforcement of air pollution norms for coal power plants and restoration of the independence of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).