People walk near Rashtrapati Bhavan shrouded in thick smog during early morning hours after Diwali night in New Delhi on November 9, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
The Congress on Monday (November 9, 2026) lashed out at the Modi government for being in “denial” on the impact of air pollution on mortality in the country and called for tightening existing PM2.5 and ozone standards as well as revamping the National Clean Air Programme.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh cited the FICCI-EY report and pointed out that it categorically states that around 2 million deaths (about 22% of total) were attributable to air pollution in India in 2023.
The Modi government has long been in denial on the impact of air pollution on mortality in the country, the former Environment Minister said.
It has rejected, both in Parliament and outside, a number of studies on the grounds that they are not India-specific and that the impacts are not direct and uniquely attributable, Ramesh said on X.
“Now comes a detailed FICCI-EY report that says categorically that around 2 million deaths (about 22% of total) were attributable to air pollution in India in 2023. This is yet another wakeup call for the somnolent Modi Government,” he said.
Ease of doing business is fine but ease of breathing is even more fundamental, Ramesh said and added that PM2.5 has become a decided killer across many parts of India.
“The agenda for reform has been clear for some time and the FICCI report presents an essential and clearly phased ten-year roadmap for national action. Execution has to begin now by tightening existing PM2.5 and ozone standards to WHO recommended safety levels.
He called for revamping the National Clean Air Programme to focus on PM2.5 and ozone; and bringing in a new Clean Air Act with focus on Public health to replace the Air(Prevention and Control of Pollution)Act, 1981 given the vast new evidence that has emerged on both on sources of air pollution and their public health impacts.
The Modi government surely cannot dismiss this analysis from the country’s leading apex industry body that has had such a long and distinguished history, Ramesh said.
His remarks came as a thick grey haze hung over Delhi, a day after Diwali, reducing visibility and pushing the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) to 370 — almost in the ‘severe’ category.
DTU and Burari Crossing monitoring stations recorded the worst air quality, with an AQI of 437 each. Four other stations recorded ‘poor’ air quality, while the remaining stations were in the ‘very poor’ category.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an AQI between 0 and 50 is classified as ‘good’, 51 and 100 as ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 as ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 as ‘poor’, 301 and 400 as ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 as ‘severe’.
The air quality remained ‘severe’ in several areas, including Bawana, Burari, Jahangirpuri, Sonia Vihar, Punjabi Bagh, Okhla and Rohini.
According to the Air Quality Early Warning System, Delhi’s air quality is likely to slip into the ‘severe’ category during the day and remain there over the subsequent few days.
Published – November 09, 2026 12:18 pm IST
