Lok Sabha Question No. 2092 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-29
Subject: Cancer Due to Pollution
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: RAJAN BABURAO  VICHARE, KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR, ANIL SHIROLE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION NO. 2092 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29 TH JULY, 2016

## CANCER DUE TO POLLUT ION

## 2092. SHRI RAJAN VICHARE: SHRI KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR: SHRI ANIL SHIROLE:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the World Health Organisation's (WHO) World Cancer Report 2015 reported that around  3.5  lakh people  in  India  succumb  to  cancer  every year  and  has  called for  urgent preventive steps to check pollution to decrease the risk of cancer, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the recent report of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) stated that outdoor air pollution is the cancer causing gent, if so, the details thereof and the reaction of theGovernment thereto;
- (c) whether CNG and diesel are also polluting and causing cancer, if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  taken any  action  on  the  reports  of  WHO  and IARC  and proposes to formulate a national policy to deliver and equitable, quality and afford ble cancer care facilities and to promote research on cancer in the country; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH A ND FAMILY WELFARE ( SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL )

- (a) to (e ): As reported by WHO, more than 1 million new cases are reported in India whil about 6.8 lakh people die due to cancer in India. As per WHO - NCD Country Profile 2014, about 7 % of all deaths are due to various cancers. However, Cancer is a multi factorial the  risk  factors  of  which  inter  alia  include  ageing  population,  unhealthy  life  style s,  use  of tobacco and tobacco products, unhealthy diet & air pollution. However, as per ICMR's Nat Cancer Registry data; the estimated number of deaths due to cancer is 7,01,007 in the c for the year 2015.

Contd……..

International Agency for Research in Cancer (IARC) has classified outdoor air poll (particulate  matter)  as  Carcinogenic  to  human.  Diesel  engine  exhaust  has  also  a  gro pollutants which are carcinogenic. In comparison to diesel, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) has lower Carbon Dioxide and particulate emission.

Government  has  taken  various  steps  to  control  pollution  in  the  country  includin following:

- i. Notification of National Ambient Air Quality Standards envisaging 12 pollutants;
- ii. Formulation of environmental regulations / statutes;
- iii. Introduction of cleaner / alternate fuels like gaseous fuel, ethanol blend etc. repla and diesel;
4. iv.Promotion of cleaner production processes;
5. v.Implementation of Bharat Stage IV (BS -IV) norms in 72 selecte d cities and universalization of BS - IV by 2017;
6. vi.Decision taken to leapfrog directly from BS -IV to BS - VI fuel standards by 1st April, 2020;
- vii. Promotion  of  public  transport  network  of  metro,  buses,  e -rickshaws  and  promotion  of carpooling, Pollution Under Contr ol, lane discipline, vehicle maintenance;

The  Government  of  India  is  implementing  a  National  Programme  for  Prevention  and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) since 2010. Th objectives of the programme include awarenes s generation on risk factors, capacity creation by the way of setting up of NCD Clinics at CHC and district level and treatment and refe higher level facilities, if required. The programmatic focus is on three common Cancer Oral, Breast and Ce rvical.

In addition Cancer care is the focus area of many upgraded institutions under Pr Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna and new AIIMS.

The Government of India is also implementing Tertiary Care for Cancer scheme in t country under which State C ancer Institutes (SCI) and Tertiary Care Cancer Centres (TCCC) are being set up in different parts of the country. The SCI and TCCC shall mentor all Cancer activities including research, treatment & awareness generation inter alia.

In the Government sector, Research activities for detection and treatment of canc mostly carried out by Institutions/Departments such as the Indian Council of Medical Res Department  of  Science  and  Technology  and  Department  of  Atomic  Energy.  Nat ional  Cancer Institute  is  being  set  up  at  Jhajjar  which  will  be  the  apex  institute  on  Cancer  inc research. Second Campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata is also approve

The  Government  of  India  has  constituted  a  Steering  Commi ttee  on  air  pollution  and health in January, 2014. The committee has submitted report in September, 2015 which has circulated to various concerned Ministries for appropriate action to reduce levels of air

…………………