'Right to Breathe' Over 'Ease of Business': Jairam Ramesh Slams Govt Over 2 Million Pollution Deaths
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh attacks the government after a FICCI-EY report links 2 million Indian deaths to air pollution in 2023.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has launched a scathing attack on the Modi government, accusing it of being in a state of "persistent denial" regarding the lethal impact of air pollution. The political firestorm erupted following the release of a sobering report titled "Clean Air, Healthy India," which suggests that the country's air quality crisis has reached a catastrophic scale.
The Shocking Numbers: 2 Million Deaths
The report, co-authored by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the consulting firm EY on November 5, 2026, presents a grim picture of public health in India. According to the findings, approximately 2 million deaths in India in 2023 were attributed to air pollution.
This staggering figure represents nearly 22 percent of the total mortality in the country. The study specifically highlights the dangers of PM2.5 exposure, linking it to a range of severe health issues, including:
- Chronic respiratory illnesses
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Cognitive impairment
Accusations of Scientific Denial
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Jairam Ramesh alleged that the government has a history of dismissing scientific evidence. He claimed that whenever similar studies are presented—whether inside the halls of Parliament or in external forums—the government rejects them by arguing that the findings are not "India-specific" or that the deaths cannot be "uniquely attributed" to pollution.
In a punchy critique of the government's economic priorities, Ramesh asserted that the "ease of breathing" is far more fundamental to human existence than the "ease of doing business."
A Three-Step Plan for Reform
The Congress leader didn't stop at criticism; he proposed a comprehensive three-step reform agenda to tackle the crisis:
- Stricter Standards: Tightening the limits for ozone and PM2.5 to align with the global guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
- NCAP Overhaul: Restructuring the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) to place a primary focus on fine particulate matter.
- New Legislation: Replacing the outdated 1981 Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act with a modern, public-health-centric "Clean Air Act."
The FICCI-EY Recommendations
Beyond the political clash, the FICCI-EY report advocates for a shift toward a health-led approach to manage the crisis. The report suggests several critical interventions, including:
- Improving hospital preparedness to handle pollution-related emergencies.
- Implementing hyperlocal air quality monitoring to track pollution at a granular level.
- Developing a comprehensive 10-year national roadmap to curb industrial and traffic emissions.
Delhi Gasps for Air
These developments come at a time when the national capital is struggling to breathe. Following the post-Diwali pollution spike, New Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) has plummeted, surpassing the 400 mark at several locations this Monday, turning the theoretical warnings of the report into a visible, choking reality for millions of residents.