No direct relation between higher AQI, lung diseases, says Centre

The Union environment ministry states there's no conclusive link between air quality index and lung diseases, despite pollution's role in respiratory issues.

New Delhi

A morning walker covers his face due to high pollution level. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

Air pollution is a trigger for respiratory ailments and associated diseases, but there is no conclusive data that establishes a direct correlation between higher air quality index (AQI) and lung diseases, Union environment ministry said.

“Air pollution is one of the triggering factors for respiratory ailments and associated diseases. There is no conclusive data which establishes a direct correlation between higher AQI levels and lung diseases,” minister of state (MoS) for environment Kirti Vardhan Singh said.

MoS Singh was responding to queries raised by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Laxmikant Bajpai, who sought to know whether the government was aware of medical studies confirming that masses were developing lung fibrosis—irreversible reduction in lung capacity—due to hazardous levels of pollution in Delhi-NCR.

The MP also sought to know whether lung capacity of Delhi-NCR residents was half that of those living in cities with good AQIs, and whether the government has a solution to save millions of Delhi-NCR residents from deadly diseases, such as pulmonary fibrosis, COPD, emphysema, reduced lung function and continuously declining lung elasticity.

Singh said, “...to address air pollution in Delhi-NCR, Government has established the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) under the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021 for better coordination, research, identification and resolution of problems of air pollution in Delhi- NCR and adjoining areas.”

He said that the CAQM has been provided powers under the act to take measures and issue directions to the agencies in the NCR for protecting and improving air quality.

CAQM has been addressing the issue of air pollution in Delhi-NCR in a collective, collaborative and participative mode involving all the major stakeholders. CAQM has so far issued 95 Statutory Directions to specifically guide and direct various actions towards abatement of air pollution in the region. A monitoring mechanism to oversee the implementation of these directions has been put in place, he said.

In response to questions on the progress of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and whether it has been able to reduce PM10, Singh said, “...Under the programme, cities have been provided annual air pollution reduction targets in terms of PM10 levels for the period 2019-20 to 2025-26. PM2.5, being a subset of PM10, also gets reduced to certain extent with actions aimed at PM10 reduction.”

City Specific Clean Air Action Plans have been prepared by all 130 cities based on local factors, to implement air quality improvement measures in respective cities. These plans target air pollution sources like soil and road dust, vehicular emissions, waste burning, Construction & Demolition activities, and industrial pollution, he added.