The government told Parliament there is no definitive evidence directly linking high AQI levels to lung diseases, though air pollution is a known cause of respiratory conditions.
Responding to concerns on lung fibrosis and declining lung capacity in Delhi-NCR, the Centre highlighted awareness, training and health preparedness measures.
Initiatives cited include air pollution alerts, health IEC campaigns, the NPCCHH programme, Ujjwala Yojana for clean fuel, and the ‘Swachh Hawa’ mission.
No Conclusive Evidence Linking High AQI to Lung Disease: Govt
Centre admits air pollution contributes to respiratory illnesses, outlines mitigation steps.
Summary
The government has informed Parliament that there is no solid evidence linking higher air quality index (AQI) levels to lung diseases.
However, Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh admitted in a written response to the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that one of the causes of respiratory conditions and related diseases is air pollution.
Laxmikant Bajpayee, a BJP MP, asked Singh if the government was aware that lung fibrosis, an irreversible decline in lung capacity, is being caused by extended exposure to dangerous AQI levels in Delhi-NCR, according to research and medical testing.
Bajpayee also sought to know whether lung elasticity among citizens of Delhi-NCR has drastically reduced to almost 50 per cent compared to people living in cities with good AQI levels.
The BJP parliamentarian further asked whether the government has any "solution to save millions of residents of Delhi/NCR from growing deadly diseases like pulmonary fibrosis, COPD, emphysema, reduced lung function and continuously declining lung elasticity".
The minister responded by saying that specific training modules on air pollution have been created for program managers, medical officers and nurses, nodal officers, sentinel sites, frontline workers like ASHA, vulnerable groups like women and children, and occupationally exposed groups like traffic police and municipal workers.
According to him, English, Hindi, and regional languages have been used in the development of information, education, and communication (IEC) products aimed at illnesses linked to air pollution.
According to Singh, the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH) has also created tailored IEC materials for a number of vulnerable populations.
He added that early warning systems and alerts for air pollution, along with air quality forecasts, are disseminated by the India Meteorological Department to states and cities to help prepare the health sector and communities, including vulnerable populations.
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According to the minister, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana provides clean cooking fuel in the form of liquefied petroleum gas with the goal of protecting the health of women and children.
He added that "Swachh Hawa" (clean air) is a crucial part of the government's Swachh Bharat Mission, which aims to clean streets, roads, and infrastructure in cities, towns, and rural regions.
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