Congress slams Govt on rising pollution, demands review of National Ambient Air Quality Standards

The Congress demanded an urgent review and upgradation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, 2009, asserting that they must be enforced more effectively. Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in-charge communications, criticized the government's response to air pollution, citing a Lancet study that linked PM2.5 exposure to increased mortality rates and data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showing that none of the 238 cities complied with WHO guidelines for PM2.5. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has also attributed 12.4 lakh deaths in 2017 to air pollution, according to Ramesh.