'No Conclusive Data': Govt On Lancet Report Linking Over 33,000 Deaths/Year To Air Pollution In 10 Indian Cities
In reply to a query in Lok Sabha, MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh says there is no conclusive data that directly correlates deaths solely to air pollution, lists measures to tackle problem.
Parliament Session: Around three weeks after a study published in The Lancet Planetary Health said air pollution was linked to nearly 33,000 deaths every year between 2008 and 2019 in ten Indian cities, the government said Monday there is no conclusive data that directly correlates deaths solely to air pollution.
In reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh acknowledged air pollution as one of the factors that affect respiratory ailments and associated diseases, but said health is also impacted by a number of other factors such as “food habits, occupational habits, socio-economic status, medical history, immunity, heredity, etc., of the individuals apart from the environment”.
The unstarred query was raised in the Lok Sabha by MPs Prof Sougata Ray and Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, who sought details from the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change regarding the impact of PM2.5 levels on mortality rates in India’s most polluted cities.
The query referenced an article — ‘Ambient air pollution and daily mortality in ten cities of India: a casual modelling study’ — published in The Lancet Planetary Health Journal, which indicated that 7.2% of all daily deaths in ten of India's largest and most polluted cities, including Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai, were linked to PM2.5 levels.
The MPs’ question was divided into five parts as they asked if the government had taken note of the Lancet study and sought more details about the deaths linked to air pollution from the 10 cities — Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Shimla and Varanasi — listed in the study. They also sought to know the position of Delhi among the most polluted capital cities of the world, and asked if the people of Delhi were dying due to pollution, and what was the average number if the answer was yes. The last query on the list was about the steps taken by the authorities to check the situation.
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Worldwide Ranking Of Cities On Air Pollution Not Appropriate: Minister
In his reply, MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh pointed out the Lancet study used statistical models to analyse mortality but acknowledged limitations in cause-specific mortality analysis.
Responding to the concerns, the minister said air pollution was indeed recognised as a significant factor among many affecting respiratory health, and that the government has initiated several measures under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) to mitigate pollution levels.
Citing “variation in monitoring methods and respective country specific national ambient air quality standards”, he said a world-wide ranking of cities in terms of pollution levels might not be appropriate.
Singh said his ministry conducts the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan, which ranks as many as 131 cities covered under the NCAP. These 131 cities are categorised into three groups based on their population so air quality improvement measures could be taken. Delhi ranked ‘9’ in 2023 in the group of 47 cities that have a population of more than 10 lakh, the minister said in his reply.
Singh said the Narendra Modi government has allocated Rs 19,614.44 crore from 2019-20 to 2025-26 for the implementation of NCAP, with Rs 11,211.13 crore already released to the 131 cities.
Despite these efforts, however, air quality improvement remains an ongoing challenge, with 95 out of the 131 cities showing improvements, and only 18 meeting the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for PM10 in FY 2023-24.
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PM2.5 Levels In Major Cities
MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh also provided data on the annual average PM2.5 levels for 2023, revealing that several cities exceeded the prescribed annual standards of 40 µg/m³.
He shared details of the annual average of PM2.5 levels in the 10 cities referred in the Lancet article cited above are provided at Annexure-I.
Notably, Delhi recorded a staggering 105 µg/m³, the highest among the listed cities. Here are the PM2.5 levels for other major cities:
- Ahmedabad: 49 µg/m³
- Bengaluru: 33 µg/m³
- Chennai: 28 µg/m³
- Greater Mumbai: 47 µg/m³
- Hyderabad: 38 µg/m³
- Kolkata: 49 µg/m³
- Pune: 52 µg/m³
- Shimla: 14 µg/m³
- Varanasi: 27 µg/m³
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Key Initiatives Under NCAP
MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh listed the steps initiated by the government to control air pollution. These include:
- Regular updates to industrial emission standards to reduce pollutants.
- Promotion of alternative fuels such as CNG and LPG, along with ethanol blending.
- National Air Quality Index
- Advancement from BS-IV to BS-VI fuel standards.
- Introduction of Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules.
- Prohibition of biomass burning and stricter regulations for Pollution Under Control certificates.
- Installation of 24x7 monitoring devices in major industries.
- Specific actions for controlling air pollution in Delhi and NCR.
- Establishment of a dedicated commission for NCR and surrounding areas.
- Restrictions on these fuels in NCR, with exceptions for permitted processes.
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