New Delhi, expressing concern over "rampant air pollution", the Congress on Thursday alleged that the Narendra Modi government has launched an "all-out war" against India's environmental protection norms and has prioritized the "gains of friends of the Prime Minister" on people's health.
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said a new study published in the prestigious global medical journal "The Lancet Planetary Health" shows how serious this crisis is, with 7.2 percent of all deaths in India associated with air pollution. -- about 34,000 deaths each year in just 10 cities.
"Unchecked air pollution is killing tens of thousands of Indians every year," Ramesh said in a statement.
Citing the report, he said Delhi is the worst affected with 12,000 deaths due to air pollution every year.
However, even cities with lower pollution levels such as Pune, Chennai and Hyderabad are witnessing thousands of deaths, the former Union environment minister added.
"The study found that even lower levels of PM2.5 pollution (particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter) can cause many deaths. This public health crisis is a direct result of the government's failures of non-biological PM, who has prioritized the benefits of the Prime Minister's friends over the health of the people of India," he alleged.
Ramesh claimed that since 2017, the BJP-led Center has continuously delayed the deadline for coal-fired power plants to install flue gas desulfurization (FGD) equipment to control pollution.
"It has caused thousands of deaths, all to the benefit of the plant owners. Soaring prices for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders have meant that indoor air pollution has worsened, as families are forced to cook in chulhas instead of cooking with gas. he said.
The National Clean Air Program (NCAP), launched in 2019 with typical fanfare, turned out to be a "complete failure", Ramesh said.
"More than 50 percent of NCAP funds were unused by the end of 2023. Furthermore, as the recent Lancet study points out, the clean air targets set by NCAP are too low to save lives," said the leader of the Congress. .
Of the 131 cities under NCAP, most don't even have data to track their air pollution, he said.
Of the 46 cities that have the data, only eight have met the low NCAP target, while 22 cities actually saw the air pollution problem worsen, Ramesh said.
"The Modi government has launched an all-out war on India's environmental protection regulations. The Forest Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2023 removed protections for much of India's forests, the Biological Diversity Act and the Environmental Protection Laws have been diluted, the Forest Rights Act, 2006 has been weakened and Environmental Impact Assessment norms have been circumvented," he alleged.
"The National Green Tribunal has been rendered ineffective, benefiting the prime minister's corporate cronies," Ramesh added.
He called on the government to dramatically increase the funds available under the NCAP.
"The current budget, including funding from NCAP and grants from the 15th Finance Commission, is approximately Rs 10,500 crore, spread across 131 cities! Our cities need at least 10 to 20 times more funding - NCAP must become a Rs 25,000-crore programme," he said.
Air pollution norms for coal-fired power plants must be implemented immediately, Congress leader demanded.
All power plants must install FGD equipment by the end of 2024, he said.
Ramesh also demanded that the NGT's independence be restored and anti-people amendments to the environment law made in the last 10 years be revoked.
The NCAP must be given legal backing, an enforcement mechanism and there must be a serious data monitoring capability for every Indian city, beyond the current focus that focuses only on "non-compliant" cities, he said.
The Air Pollution (Control and Prevention) Act came into force in 1981 and the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) came into force in November 2009, Ramesh said.
However, in the past 10 years, the public health consequences of air pollution (both morbidity and mortality) have become all too apparent, he said.
"The time has come to completely review and renew both the Act and the NAAQS," the Congress leader added.
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said a new study published in the prestigious global medical journal "The Lancet Planetary Health" shows how serious this crisis is, with 7.2 percent of all deaths in India associated with air pollution. -- about 34,000 deaths each year in just 10 cities.
"Unchecked air pollution is killing tens of thousands of Indians every year," Ramesh said in a statement.
Citing the report, he said Delhi is the worst affected with 12,000 deaths due to air pollution every year.
However, even cities with lower pollution levels such as Pune, Chennai and Hyderabad are witnessing thousands of deaths, the former Union environment minister added.
"The study found that even lower levels of PM2.5 pollution (particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter) can cause many deaths. This public health crisis is a direct result of the government's failures of non-biological PM, who has prioritized the benefits of the Prime Minister's friends over the health of the people of India," he alleged.
Ramesh claimed that since 2017, the BJP-led Center has continuously delayed the deadline for coal-fired power plants to install flue gas desulfurization (FGD) equipment to control pollution.
"It has caused thousands of deaths, all to the benefit of the plant owners. Soaring prices for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders have meant that indoor air pollution has worsened, as families are forced to cook in chulhas instead of cooking with gas. he said.
The National Clean Air Program (NCAP), launched in 2019 with typical fanfare, turned out to be a "complete failure", Ramesh said.
"More than 50 percent of NCAP funds were unused by the end of 2023. Furthermore, as the recent Lancet study points out, the clean air targets set by NCAP are too low to save lives," said the leader of the Congress. .
Of the 131 cities under NCAP, most don't even have data to track their air pollution, he said.
Of the 46 cities that have the data, only eight have met the low NCAP target, while 22 cities actually saw the air pollution problem worsen, Ramesh said.
"The Modi government has launched an all-out war on India's environmental protection regulations. The Forest Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2023 removed protections for much of India's forests, the Biological Diversity Act and the Environmental Protection Laws have been diluted, the Forest Rights Act, 2006 has been weakened and Environmental Impact Assessment norms have been circumvented," he alleged.
"The National Green Tribunal has been rendered ineffective, benefiting the prime minister's corporate cronies," Ramesh added.
He called on the government to dramatically increase the funds available under the NCAP.
"The current budget, including funding from NCAP and grants from the 15th Finance Commission, is approximately Rs 10,500 crore, spread across 131 cities! Our cities need at least 10 to 20 times more funding - NCAP must become a Rs 25,000-crore programme," he said.
Air pollution norms for coal-fired power plants must be implemented immediately, Congress leader demanded.
All power plants must install FGD equipment by the end of 2024, he said.
Ramesh also demanded that the NGT's independence be restored and anti-people amendments to the environment law made in the last 10 years be revoked.
The NCAP must be given legal backing, an enforcement mechanism and there must be a serious data monitoring capability for every Indian city, beyond the current focus that focuses only on "non-compliant" cities, he said.
The Air Pollution (Control and Prevention) Act came into force in 1981 and the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) came into force in November 2009, Ramesh said.
However, in the past 10 years, the public health consequences of air pollution (both morbidity and mortality) have become all too apparent, he said.
"The time has come to completely review and renew both the Act and the NAAQS," the Congress leader added.
