The Congress on Sunday said India’s air pollution crisis is no longer just a respiratory issue but a full-blown assault on our brains and bodies, as it called for radically revising the National Clean Air Programme and urgently updating the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh asserted that air pollution is a public health catastrophe and a national security threat to our society, healthcare system, and future workforce.

“India’s air pollution crisis is no longer just a respiratory issue. It’s now a full-blown assault on our brains and bodies,” the former environment minister said on X.

In 2023, approximately 2 million deaths in India were linked to air pollution - a 43% jump since 2000, Ramesh pointed out.

Nearly 9 i

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