No conclusive link between pollution & deaths: Govt tells Rajya Sabha

There is no conclusive data in India to establish a direct correlation between pollution and deaths or diseases, the government informed the Rajya Sabha.

Responding to a question, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav said that the health effects of air pollution are a “synergistic manifestation” of various factors.

“Health effects of air pollution are a synergistic manifestation of factors, which include food habits, occupational habits, socio-economic status, medical history, immunity, heredity, etc., of individuals,” the minister said in his written reply.

However, Jadhav shared data showing a consistently high burden of respiratory illnesses in major metropolitan cities, particularly Delhi, over the past three years.

According to data from six central government hospitals in the national capital, over 67,000 cases of acute respiratory illness (ARI) were reported in 2022. The number rose to nearly 69,300 in 2023 and slightly declined to around 68,400 in 2024. Hospital admissions for ARI during this period ranged between 9,700 and 10,800.