India cannot afford to pollute its way to prosperity: Congress
The Congress on Monday said India must not sacrifice public health for economic growth, asserting that increased pollution cannot be the price people are forced to pay for faster development. The party said the Graded Response Action Plans (GRAP) should not remain the mainstay of Indias clean-air strategy. In a statement, Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said GRAPs are largely reactive and focus on crisis management rather than long-term prevention. We need tough, multi-sectoral action with scale and speed throughout the year, not just during the OctoberDecember winter period, Ramesh said. Here is our statement on the grave air pollution crisis facing the country pic.twitter.com/tbsOs1HVli Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) December 15, 2025 He slammed the Modi government for stating in the Rajya Sabha on December 9, 2025, that there is no conclusive data linking air pollution directly to deaths or disease. Ramesh said a similar claim had earlier been made in Parliament on July 29, 2024, calling both statements insensitive and contrary to scientific evidence. Citing recent studies, Ramesh said a July 2024 Lancet paper showed that 7.2 per cent of all deaths in India are associated with air pollution, around 34,000 deaths annually in just 10 cities. An August 2024 study by the International Institute of Population Sciences, based on NFHS-5 data, found a 13 per cent rise in premature adult mortality and nearly a 100 per cent increase in child mortality in districts exceeding national air quality standards. He also referred to a December 2024 study in The Lancet Planetary Health, which estimated that long-term exposure to polluted air leads to about 15 lakh additional deaths every year in India compared to WHO-recommended exposure levels. A November 2025 report by the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation linked nearly two million deaths in India to air pollution, a 43 per cent increase since 2000, with about 70 per cent of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease deaths attributed to polluted air. CJI advises lawyers to avail hybrid mode of appearance in view of prevailing weather conditions Ramesh said the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, last updated in 2009, urgently need revision and strict enforcement. He pointed out that Indias current PM2.5 limits are eight times higher than WHO annual guidelines and four times higher for 24-hour exposure. Despite the launch of the National Clean Air Programme in 2017, PM2.5 levels continue to rise, he said, adding that the programme itself needs a comprehensive overhaul. Calling for structural reforms, Ramesh said the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 may need to be revisited as it was not framed in the context of a public health emergency. He also said the National Green Tribunal has been weakened over the past decade and requires renewed authority, while relaxed emission norms for power plants and other regulatory dilutions should be rolled back. India simply cannot afford to pollute its way to prosperity, Ramesh said. His remarks came as Delhi remained under a thick blanket of smog on Monday, with the Air Quality Index touching 498, in the severe category. Delhi chokes under dense smog as AQI remains 'severe' even with GRAP-IV in force
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