World Bank Report: 1 Million Premature Deaths Annually Due to Pollution; Congress Questions Modi Govt

• A World Bank report, 'A Breath of Change', highlights that pollution causes approximately one million premature deaths annually in the Indo-Gangetic Plains and Himalayan foothills.
• Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh criticized the Modi government for denying the truth and emphasized the severe health crisis caused by air pollution.
• The report indicates an economic loss of about 10 percent of the regional GDP annually due to these premature deaths.
• Congress suggests measures like strict implementation of rules, reviewing the 1981 Air Act and 2009 NAAQS, and expanding the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
• The report also recommends enforcing emission standards for power plants, expanding public transport, and tightening vehicle emission standards.

Why It Matters: A World Bank report reveals 1 million annual premature deaths from pollution, prompting Congress to demand government action.