Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday called for an urgent overhaul of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), saying it must expand its focus beyond road dust mitigation to address emissions from industries, power plants and residential sources.
Flagging rising pollution levels across the country, the former Union Environment Minister said that while Delhi's deteriorating air quality attracts global attention, several other cities are facing an even worse public health crisis.
Citing a recent analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), Ramesh said the three most polluted cities in India in October 2026, based on monthly average PM2.5 concentrations, were all in Uttar Pradesh, Baraut in Baghpat district, Khora in Ghaziabad district and Gajraula in Amroha district.
He further pointed out that 13 cities in Uttar Pradesh, 11 in Haryana, three in Gujarat and two each in Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan exceeded the national ambient air quality standard for PM2.5 (24-hour mean). He noted that even this national standard was four times the safety level prescribed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
"The National Clean Air Programme launched almost eight years back needs an urgent revamp and move beyond road dust mitigation," Ramesh said.
Referring to CREA's recommendations, he said the programme should prioritise controlling emissions from industries, power generation and residential sources, besides tackling directly emitted particulate matter and gaseous precursors that contribute to the formation of secondary PM2.5.
He also called for adopting an airshed-based approach to tackle air pollution across geographical regions rather than limiting interventions to individual cities.
Ramesh said the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), last revised in November 2009, also needed to be updated, particularly the permissible limits for PM2.5 concentrations.
The Congress leader's remarks came as Delhi's air quality deteriorated sharply on Friday, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 391, edging the national capital closer to the severe category.
Of the 59 air quality monitoring stations in the city, 30 recorded severe pollution levels at 9 am, while the remaining stations reported very poor air quality.
(With inputs from PTI)