Lancet study linking 33k deaths per year to pollution false : CPCB; AQI plunges to 'severe'

THE Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), in its submission to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) over a recent Lancet study linking air pollution to an estimated 33,000 deaths annually in ten major Indian cities, claimed that the study's methodology might not accurately represent the country's specific air quality challenges or mortality rates.

- SHEKHAR SINGH

The Lancet study, which the NGT reviewed, attributed thousands of deaths across cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata to hazardous air quality, primarily focusing on PM2.5 levels. However, CPCB's response argued that the study's reliance on satellite data and modeling techniques could lead to "unrealistic" estimates. "The deaths cannot be attributed to pollution alone," CPCB claimed, adding that the data "may not represent the realistic Indian scenario."

According to the CPCB, one significant limitation in the Lancet study is the variability in death registration systems across India, which impacts the reliability of cause-specific mortality data.