New Delhi, Oct 30: Highlighting the urgent public health crisis posed by air pollution, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh emphasized on Wednesday that addressing stubble burning alone won’t solve the issue. Instead, he advocated for a large-scale transition to renewable energy, electric vehicles, and expanded public transport to combat pollution effectively.
Ramesh underscored the need to reform India’s economic and environmental policies, starting with updates to The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, to better address the public health impacts of pollution. He also called for a review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, 2009, to strengthen India’s regulatory framework on air quality.
Citing recent findings from The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, Ramesh expressed deep concern over India’s pollution-linked health risks. “The report reveals alarming figures: 1.6 million deaths in India in 2021 were attributed to air pollution, with fossil fuels like coal and liquid gas responsible for 38% of these fatalities,” he noted in a post on X. The report highlighted that in 2022, India accounted for 15.8% of the world’s consumption-based PM2.5 emissions and 16.9% of production-based PM2.5 emissions, both significant contributors to respiratory health hazards.
Ramesh pointed out that PM2.5 levels in Delhi had reached critical highs, averaging 168 µg/m³ between October 16 and October 22, despite a 51% decrease in stubble burning since 2018, according to NASA’s Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) data. The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) reported that stubble burning contributed only 0.92% of PM2.5 levels in Delhi this season, while over half of the pollution stemmed from vehicular emissions.
Asserting that air pollution should be an administrative priority, Ramesh emphasized, “A sustainable future requires a robust shift to renewable energy and public transit systems.” He reiterated the need to update environmental legislation to better address the health impacts of pollution and foster cleaner living environments for the population.
