Jairam Ramesh Demands New Clean Air Act, Says Right to Breathe Outweighs Ease of Doing Business

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday called for sweeping clean-air reforms, citing a report that estimates nearly two million pollution-related deaths in India in 2023 and urging the Centre to prioritise public health over ease of doing business.

In a post on social media platform X, Ramesh criticised the Narendra Modi government for repeatedly questioning studies highlighting the health impact of air pollution. He said the latest FICCI-EY report provided further evidence of the scale of the crisis and called for immediate policy action.

According to the report, air pollution accounted for approximately two million deaths in India in 2023, representing nearly 22 per cent of all deaths recorded during the year.

"Ease of doing business is fine but ease of breathing is even more fundamental," Ramesh said, warning that exposure to fine particulate matter, particularly PM2.5, had become a major public health threat across several parts of the country.

Three Key Reforms Proposed

Ramesh outlined three major policy measures to address India's worsening air pollution crisis.

First, he called for stricter national air quality standards for PM2.5 and ground-level ozone, bringing them in line with the safety guidelines recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Second, he demanded a comprehensive overhaul of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). He said the programme should focus more directly on reducing people's exposure to PM2.5 and ground-level ozone rather than relying on incremental pollution-control measures.

Third, he proposed introducing a new Clean Air Act focused explicitly on public health to replace the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

He argued that India's existing legal framework required a fundamental reassessment in view of the scientific evidence accumulated over the decades about pollution sources and their effects on human health.

FICCI-EY Report Offers 10-Year Roadmap

Ramesh said the scientific evidence and policy recommendations needed to tackle air pollution were not new. However, he pointed to the FICCI-EY report's phased 10-year roadmap for national action, arguing that its recommendations should now translate into concrete measures.

He also questioned whether the Centre could dismiss the report's findings, given FICCI's standing as one of India's leading industry organisations and its longstanding role in economic and policy discussions.

"The Modi Govt surely cannot dismiss this analysis from the country's leading apex industry body that has had such a long and distinguished history," he said.

Health Risks of PM2.5 and Ground-Level Ozone

PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter measuring 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter. These particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, increasing the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Ground-level ozone, meanwhile, forms through chemical reactions involving pollutants in the presence of sunlight and can cause respiratory complications.

India has introduced several measures to address air pollution, including the NCAP, which aims to reduce particulate pollution in identified cities. However, questions remain over the effectiveness of existing standards, enforcement mechanisms and coordination between central, state and local authorities.

Ramesh's demands have renewed the political debate over India's approach to air pollution, with the Congress leader arguing that public health must take precedence over economic considerations in the country's clean-air policy.