Lok Sabha Question No. 2477 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-13
Subject: Health Impacts of Air Pollution
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Balwant Baswant Wankhade

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRY OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH RESEARCH

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2477 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13 TH FEBRUARY, 2026

## HEALTH IMPACTS OFAIR POLLUTION

## 2477. SHRI BALWANT BASWANT WANKHADE:

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether a recent study by the Indian Council of Medical Research has found that 77 per cent of the country's population was found to be exposed to ambient air pollution levels above the national safe limit and worst hit States are Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and that 26 per cent premature deaths/disease burden have taken place due to air pollution and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the position in each of these aspects at the time of independence and at present, in all States and Union Territories; and
- (c) the corrective steps taken by the Government in each of these aspects?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) to (c): ICMR partnered in a study that developed estimates based on modelling which were published in a paper titled 'The impact of air pollution on deaths, disease burden, and life expectancy across the states of India: the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017' in The Lancet Planetary Health 2018. According to these modeled estimates, India contributed to 26.2% of the global disabilityadjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to air pollution in 2017. About 76.8% of the population of India was exposed to annual population-weighted mean Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 greater than 40 μg/m³. Delhi had the highest annual population-weighted mean PM2.5 in 2017, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Haryana in north India.

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has informed that it launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019 to improve air quality in 130 non-attainment and Million-Plus Cities in 24 States/UTs through a comprehensive, integrated and collaborative approach involving Central and State Governments, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and other stakeholders. It emphasizes source-specific mitigation measures through the implementation of city, state, and national-level Clean Air Action Plans. These plans target air pollution sources like soil & road dust, vehicular emissions, waste burning, Construction & Demolition activities, and industrial pollution. The programme emphasises the mobilisation of resources through convergence of various schemes of Central & State Governments such as Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), AMRUT, Smart City Mission, PM e-Bus Sewa, PM E-DRIVE, Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT), and Nagar Van Yojana, as well as resources of State Govts. / UT administrations, Municipal Corporations and other developmental authorities.

Moreover, the Government has taken several initiatives to address pollution from PM2.5 levels interalia include leapfrogging from BS-IV to BS-VI fuel and vehicle norms effective from 1st April 2020, promotion of e-mobility and alternate fuels, voluntary vehicle scrapping policy through Voluntary Vehicle-Fleet Modernization Program (VVMP), implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework for End-of- Life Vehicles (ELVs).

The programme implementation is tracked through the PRANA - Portal for Regulation of Air Pollution in Non-Attainment Cities. Swachh Vayu Survekshan initiative is conducted annually to rank 130 cities based on implementation of various air quality improvement measures. Better performing cities are felicitated annually. Further, guidelines for Ward-level Swachh Vayu Survekshan promotes awareness and public participation towards air quality improvement.

In addition, to address air pollution in Delhi-NCR, Government has established the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for better coordination, research, identification and resolution of problems of air pollution in Delhi- NCR and adjoining areas. Commission has prepared Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) which provides set of emergency response actions, depending on severity of air pollution levels, to be implemented by identified agencies for minimizing air pollution, a situation that generally persists in the Delhi-NCR during the peak winter months. Based on the dynamic model and weather forecast on a day-to-day basis, actions under Stages I, II, III and IV of the GRAP are invoked in advance in anticipation of the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi reaching to the projected levels of that stage based on the overall meteorological conditions and anthropogenic activities. A centralised air quality portal and mobile app-SAMEER are functional for tracking and dissemination of near real time air quality data and hourly Air Quality Index to the public. SAMEER app also serves as a grievance redressal mechanism which allows the citizens to report pollution related complaints for quick resolution by the concerned agencies.

Further, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has informed National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH) has developed a structured mechanism to address health concerns due to air pollution. Under the Programme, a National Action Plan on Air Pollution and Health was developed in year 2021 and now all States have developed State Action Plans on Air Pollution and Health. States/UTs are issued public health advisory on air pollution related health matters every year so that health professionals, front line workers and people are aware on the Do's and Don'ts to minimise, protect and prevent on the health impacts related to air pollution. States/UTs are also shared Technical Guidelines as well as Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials for public awareness. Separate IEC for Children has been developed. Nationwide campaigns are held on certain International Days related to air pollution. Various trainings, workshops are conducted to train the State/UTs teams.

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