New Delhi [India], November 5 (ANI): India must immediately transition from seasonal, reactive measures to a sustained, health-led strategy against air pollution by embedding explicit fine-particle (PM2.5) reduction targets directly into the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), according to a joint FICCI-EY knowledge paper titled “Clean air, healthy India” released on Thursday.
The report underscored a severe public health emergency, noting that air pollution was attributable to more than two million deaths in India in 2023 alone. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) penetrates deep into the lungs and bloodstream, driving chronic respiratory illness, heart disease, stroke, cognitive impairment, and mounting healthcare expenditures.
Calling for a structural pivot, the study urges close collaboration between the government, healthcare institutions, and private industry to measure clean-air success by direct health outcomes and reduced human exposure rather than simple intervention counts.
To curb toxic air across urban, industrial, and agricultural landscapes, the report sets out 10 practical solutions: closed-loop dust management at large construction and demolition sites to contain localised PM2.5 and PM10 emissions.
Deploy intra-city monitoring networks to pinpoint pollution hotspots caused by traffic, waste burning, industrial clusters, and construction, evaluating real-time intervention effectiveness. Install smart traffic signals to minimise vehicular idling and stop-and-go congestion in major urban centres.
Run industrial pollution markets using live stack-emissions data, alongside technology-driven monitoring for industrial exhaust and diesel soot. Replace heavy diesel backup generators with battery-hybrid systems and convert traditional brick kilns to zig-zag firing technologies.
Scale technology to convert agricultural crop residue into marketable fuels and industrial products. Repurpose recovered plastic, construction debris, and industrial residue into building materials for housing and public infrastructure.
Bundle small-scale clean-air and green projects together to unlock larger institutional and private financing. Establish clear government standards and stable compliance tracking to spur industry innovation and efficiency.
Strengthen hospital health surveillance, public advisories, and school safety plans ahead of seasonal winter pollution spikes.
“Clean air must be central to India’s healthcare agenda, not treated solely as an environmental objective. Healthcare institutions have an important role to play in strengthening public awareness, tracking pollution-related illness and improving preparedness,” said Dr Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and MD & CEO, Fortis Healthcare.
“We need to move beyond seasonal responses to air pollution and make exposure reduction a year-round public health priority. This requires linking air-quality monitoring with health surveillance, strengthening preventive action and tailoring interventions to local pollution sources,” said Dr Arun Agarwal, Chair, FICCI Working Group on Air Pollution and Medical Advisor, Apollo Hospitals Group.
“India’s clean-air agenda should link pollution control to public-health outcomes. NCAP should include explicit PM2.5 reduction targets, supported by reliable monitoring, coordinated regional action and investment in affordable cleaner alternatives,” said Amit Goyal, Partner, Strategy and Transactions, EY India.
Highlighting that Delhi’s internal sources account for only 36% of its PM2.5 in winter and 26% in summer, the report emphasised that air pollution ignores administrative boundaries.
To overcome existing gaps—such as NCAP’s over-reliance on coarse PM10 metrics, uneven monitoring in smaller towns, and fragmented enforcement—the paper advocates for cross-state airshed management, expanded PM2.5 tracking, and outcome-linked funding mechanisms. (ANI)
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