New Delhi: Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday said no Indian study has shown any correlation between pollution and shortening of lifespan.
“Let us not create a fear psychosis among people,” Javadekar told Lok Sabha in response to a query about studies that life expectancy is coming down due to pollution.
During the Question Hour, he said the government has been taking pro-active actions to curb pollution and that the efforts are bearing fruits.
Indian studies have not shown a correlation between shortening of life and pollution, the Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change said.
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Referring to studies indicating that pollution is reducing life expectancy, he also said such studies might not be based on first-generation data.
The central government has launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) to tackle air pollution problem across the country.
“Under NCAP, 102 non-attainment cities have been identified based on ambient air quality data for the period 2011-2015 and WHO (World Health Organisation) report 2014/18,” he said.
According to him, city-specific action plans have been prepared and approved for implementation in all the 102 cities.