2 million air pollution deaths in 2023: Jairam Ramesh targets Centre, demands stricter law to tackle air crisis

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday criticised the Modi government over its response to air pollution, citing a report by industry body FICCI and consulting firm EY that linked around 2 million deaths in India to polluted air in 2023.

According to the report, air pollution accounted for nearly 22 per cent of all deaths in the country that year. In a post on X, Ramesh accused the Centre of repeatedly dismissing concerns about the health impact of toxic air.

"The Modi Govt has long been in denial on the impacts of air pollution on mortality in the country. It has rejected, both in Parliament and outside, a number of studies on the grounds that they are not India-specific and that the impacts are not direct and uniquely attributable," he said.

Calling the findings another warning for the government, Ramesh said improving air quality should be treated as a national priority.

"Now comes a detailed FICCI-EY report that says categorically that around 2 million deaths (about 22% of total) were attributable to air pollution in India in 2023. This is yet another wake-up call for the somnolent Modi Govt. Ease of doing business is fine, but ease of breathing is even more fundamental. PM2.5 has become a deadly killer across many parts of India," he said.

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Ramesh also proposed three measures to tackle the crisis. He called for stricter PM2.5 and ozone standards in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, a revamp of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) with greater focus on fine particulate matter and ozone, and a new Clean Air Act centred on public health.

He said the proposed legislation should replace the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

Ramesh's remarks come as Delhi continues to record 'very poor' air quality for more than a week. The capital also witnessed a sharp deterioration around Diwali, with media reports citing AQI readings above 2,000 on the festival day.