The Centre has told Parliament that there is no conclusive evidence establishing a direct link between higher Air Quality Index levels and lung diseases, even as it acknowledged that air pollution remains a significant trigger for respiratory ailments.
Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh said scientific data so far do not conclusively establish a direct correlation between elevated AQI levels and lung diseases. At the same time, he noted that air pollution is recognised as one of the contributing factors for respiratory and associated health conditions.
The minister was responding to a query by BJP MP Laxmikant Bajpayee, who sought clarity on whether studies and medical tests had confirmed that prolonged exposure to hazardous AQI levels in the Delhi-NCR region was leading to lung fibrosis, an irreversible condition marked by reduced lung capacity.
Bajpayee also asked whether lung elasticity among residents of Delhi-NCR had declined sharply, by nearly 50 per cent, when compared with people living in cities that record better air quality.
Raising broader concerns, the BJP parliamentarian further questioned whether the government had any “solution to save millions of residents of Delhi/NCR from growing deadly diseases like pulmonary fibrosis, COPD, emphysema, reduced lung function and continuously declining lung elasticity”.
In his reply, Singh outlined a series of health and awareness measures being implemented to address the impact of air pollution. He said dedicated training modules on air pollution have been developed for programme managers, medical officers, nurses, nodal officers, sentinel sites and frontline workers such as ASHA personnel.
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The minister said vulnerable groups, including women and children, as well as occupationally exposed workers such as traffic police and municipal staff, have also been covered under these training initiatives.
Singh added that information, education and communication materials focusing on air pollution-related illnesses have been prepared in English, Hindi and regional languages. He said the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health has developed customised IEC materials for different vulnerable sections.
Early warning systems and air quality alerts, along with pollution forecasts, are disseminated by the India Meteorological Department to states and cities to help health systems and communities prepare for pollution episodes, he said.
The minister also referred to the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, stating that it aims to protect the health of women and children by promoting the use of clean cooking fuel. He said the Swachh Bharat Mission seeks to improve sanitation and cleanliness across urban and rural areas, adding that “Swachh Hawa” or clean air is an integral component of the programme.
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