IndiaPosted at: Nov 2 2026 12:27PM


Jairam Ramesh flags PM2.5 health emergency, demands urgent revision of pollution standards

New Delhi, Nov 2 (UNI) Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh, on Monday, launched a sharp attack on the Narendra Modi government over its handling of the worsening air pollution crisis, warning that toxic PM2.5 levels were choking Delhi and several other parts of north India and demanding an urgent overhaul of the country's air quality standards.
In a post on social media platform X, Ramesh said the deteriorating air quality had assumed the proportions of a serious public health emergency and called for immediate government intervention, particularly through the revision and strict enforcement of permissible limits for fine particulate matter.
“PM2.5 is choking the nation’s capital and other parts of north India especially,” he said, pointing out that India's existing National Ambient Air Quality Standards were significantly more relaxed than the World Health Organisation's recommended limits.
Drawing attention to the disparity, Ramesh noted that India's permissible 24-hour average PM2.5 concentration stood at 60 micrograms per cubic metre, against the WHO guideline of 15 micrograms. The difference was even more pronounced for annual exposure, with India's permissible limit at 40 micrograms per cubic metre compared with the WHO recommendation of just five micrograms.
In other words, India's prescribed limits are four times higher for daily exposure and eight times higher for annual exposure than the international health guidelines.
Questioning the government's priorities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), Ramesh argued that the emphasis on reducing PM10 pollution had come at the cost of adequate attention to the more serious health implications of PM2.5. He stressed that particles measuring 2.5 micrometres or less were particularly dangerous because of their ability to penetrate deep into the lungs and pose significant risks to human health.
Launched in 2019, the NCAP covers 130 cities and seeks to reduce concentrations of both PM10 and PM2.5. However, its city-level targets have placed considerable emphasis on reducing PM10 concentrations, prompting concerns over whether the programme adequately addresses the dangers posed by finer particulate pollutants.
“The PM2.5 standards need to be revised urgently and enforced strictly,” Ramesh said, underlining the need for a more scientifically grounded and health-focused approach to combating air pollution.
Taking a political swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he also referred to the administration as the “PM3.0 government”, suggesting that the government should pay far greater attention to the worsening pollution crisis rather than allowing a mounting public health threat to remain inadequately addressed.
Ramesh's intervention comes against the backdrop of recurring deterioration in air quality across Delhi and the National Capital Region, particularly with the onset of winter. Vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, construction dust, crop-residue burning and unfavourable meteorological conditions combine to trap pollutants close to the ground, aggravating the public health crisis.
PM2.5 refers to microscopic airborne particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less. Because of their extremely small size, they can travel deep into the respiratory system, enter the bloodstream and contribute to serious cardiovascular and respiratory ailments.
Prolonged exposure has also been linked to an increased risk of premature mortality.
The WHO tightened its air quality guidelines in 2021 after mounting scientific evidence established that exposure to fine particulate pollution, even at comparatively low concentrations, could have serious consequences for human health.
The issue has increasingly raised questions about the adequacy of India's pollution-control framework, the effectiveness of existing monitoring mechanisms and the accountability of authorities responsible for implementing clean-air measures.
Ramesh's demand has brought the spotlight back on the need to bring national standards closer to scientific health recommendations and ensure that any revised limits are accompanied by credible monitoring, time-bound action and strict enforcement.
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