Indian Congress Criticizes Air Pollution Response

The India — Indian National Congress, through its General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, has accused the government of India of an "exceedingly ineffective and inadequate" response to a nationwide air pollution crisis. Citing an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, the India — Indian National Congress claims that nearly 44% of Indian cities suffer from chronic air pollution, with PM2.5 levels consistently exceeding national standards. The party criticized the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as a "Notional Clear Air Programme" due to its limited coverage and insufficient funding, proposing an increase from Rs 10,500 crore to Rs 25,000 crore to cover 1,000 most polluted towns. Jairam Ramesh also called for a complete overhaul of the Air Pollution (Control and Prevention) Act of 1981 and the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), which are significantly weaker than World Health Organization guidelines. Additionally, the India — Indian National Congress demanded the restoration of the India — National Green Tribunal's independence, the rollback of recent environmental law amendments, and immediate enforcement of pollution norms for coal power plants, including mandatory installation of Fluoride Gas Desulfurizer (FGD) by 2026. The India — Indian National Congress further alleged that the government led by Narendra Modi has repeatedly attempted to downplay the health impacts of air pollution and cover up its incompetence.