New Delhi: The Centre has informed Parliament that there is “no conclusive national data to establish a direct correlation between deaths or diseases occurring exclusively due to air pollution”, a position that stands in sharp contrast to mounting scientific evidence regarding India’s escalating health burden.
This assertion comes shortly after a study published in “The Lancet Planetary Health” estimated that long-term exposure to polluted air contributes to approximately 15 lakh additional deaths in India each year compared to scenarios where the country meets World Health Organization (WHO) safety limits.
The Lancet report emphasised the severe impact of PM2.5—fine particulate matter that penetrates deep into the lungs—which is regularly recorded at levels far exceeding global safety thresholds across India. Further underlining the severity of the crisis, a separate analysis released in November, drawing from Global Burden of Disease data, identified toxic air as the single largest killer in Delhi in 2023. According to the study, nearly 15 per cent of all deaths in the capital were attributable to air pollution, making it a deadlier factor than several major communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Responding to a query from Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien, Minister of State for Health Prakashrao Jadhav acknowledged in the Rajya Sabha that air pollution is a contributing factor in respiratory ailments. However, he maintained that India lacks national-level figures directly linking deaths to pollution exposure. These comments arrive amidst hazardous winter spikes in Delhi-NCR, where Air Quality Index (AQI) levels frequently soar past 800, far beyond the WHO’s safe range of 0–50.
Regarding mitigation efforts, Jadhav informed the House that the National Programme for Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH) has been operational since 2019 to build awareness and capacity. Under this programme, the government has formulated a national “Health Adaptation Plan” and assisted all 36 states and Union Territories in preparing dedicated action plans on climate change and human health. These plans include specific chapters on air pollution outlining recommended interventions, while the India Meteorological Department shares early warning systems with states to help vulnerable communities prepare for severe pollution days.
Despite the government’s stance on mortality data, the health implications are becoming evident in pharmaceutical market trends. A recent report by market intelligence firm Pharmatrac found that the extremely poor air quality in November drove sales of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease medicines to a three-year high. Respiratory drugs accounted for 8 per cent of all medicines sold during the month, marking a significant spike that industry experts link directly to the worsening pollution crisis.