India's economy in 2025 faced challenges from US tariffs and foreign investor exits. Despite these, domestic demand and reforms fueled strong growth. The rupee hit record lows while stock markets held steady. Key developments included GST rationalization, interest rate cuts
No conclusive data directly linking air pollution to death: Centre
There is no conclusive data available in the country to establish direct correlation of death or disease exclusively because of air pollution, the Union government told Parliament on Tuesday.
Union Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav told the Rajya Sabha that air pollution was one of the triggering factors for respiratory ailments and associated diseases.
“Health effects of air pollution are synergistic manifestation of factors, which include food habits, occupational habits, socioeconomic status, medical history, immunity, heredity, etc. of the individuals,” Jadhav added.
The statement comes amid Delhi recording air quality in the “poor” or worse categories since mid-October.
Air quality usually deteriorates sharply in the winter months in Delhi, which is often ranked the world's most polluted capital.
Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, vehicular pollution, along with the lighting of firecrackers during Diwali, falling temperatures, decreased wind speeds and emissions from industries and coal-fired plants contribute to the problem.
At 1.05 pm on Tuesday, the average Air Quality Index in the national capital stood at 262, categorised as “poor”, showed the Sameer application, which provides hourly updates published by the Central Pollution Control Board.
An index value between 0 and 50 indicates “good” air quality, between 51 and 100 indicates “satisfactory” air quality and between 101 and 200 indicates “moderate” air quality. As the index value increases further, air quality deteriorates. A value of 201 and 300 means “poor” air quality, while between 301 and 400 indicates “very poor” air.
Between 401 and 450 indicates “severe” air pollution, while anything above the 450 threshold is termed “severe plus”. An Air Quality Index in the “severe” category signifies hazardous pollution levels that can pose serious risks even to healthy individuals.
Measures under Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan to bring pollution under control are in force in Delhi.
Measures under Stage 2 entail ensuring an uninterrupted power supply to discourage the use of alternative power arrangements, such as diesel generator sets, and increasing parking fees to discourage private transportation.
Stage 1 involves measures such as the mechanical sweeping of roads and sprinkling water on them to keep the dust from rising. It also bans some kinds of construction and demolition activities.
On Tuesday, Jadhav said that the Union government had taken several steps to address air pollution issues.
This included the National Programme for Climate Change and Human Health, State Action Plans on climate change and human health, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana aimed at safeguarding the health of women and children by providing clean cooking fuel, among others, he added.
In March too, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change had said in Parliament that there was no definitive data “to establish a direct correlation of deaths including lung cancer exclusively with air pollution”.
Source: Scroll
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India's economy in 2025 faced challenges from US tariffs and foreign investor exits. Despite these, domestic demand and reforms fueled strong growth. The rupee hit record lows while stock markets held steady. Key developments included GST rationalization, interest rate cuts
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