Congress slams Modi government over pollution deaths, demands strict air quality reforms

The Congress on Monday accused the Modi government of being in denial about the impact of air pollution on mortality, citing a report that attributed roughly <b>two million deaths</b> in India during 2023 to polluted air. Congress general secretary <b>Jairam Ramesh</b> criticized the administration for repeatedly dismissing previous health impact studies and failing to establish direct links between pollution and fatalities. Ramesh highlighted a report by FICCI and EY, which estimated that air pollution accounted for about 22 per cent of total deaths last year. He urged the implementation of a 10-year roadmap, demanding that existing PM2.5 and ozone standards match World Health Organisation safety recommendations, alongside a revamp of the National Clean Air Programme and a new public health Clean Air Act. The criticism coincided with Delhi grappling with severe pollution levels following Diwali celebrations. A thick haze reduced visibility, pushing the overall Air Quality Index to 370 with several stations recording severe readings, while early warning systems predicted further deterioration in air quality over the coming days.