Air pollution in Delhi is killing around 80 people everyday, according to an international study. (Representational Image)
Government has said it was not right to believe an international report which claimed that air pollution kills 80 people in Delhi everyday and added that it will come out with a detailed correction of the answer on Monday.
In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar had yesterday said that an international study released recently has claimed that foul air is killing up to 80 people a day in Delhi and the numbers of premature deaths given in the study are based on the constructive estimates and extrapolations of data.
"My yesterday's answer has been interpreted in a strange way. I have written a letter to Rajya Sabha chairman. On Monday we will send the correction of the answer," Mr Javadekar told reporters.
He said that such a study, which claims 80 deaths are occuring, has "not" come but only "news" had come.
He said that he will tell about the conclusions of officials studies which have been carried out by his Ministry and the steps taken in this regard.
"In the answer we had further written that a news has come of such a study but this is not an exact study issue, there are extrapolations and inferences. It is not right to believe it. We had said in the answer. But the news was created based on one line.
"What was part of the question it was repeated in the answer and the answer which was given did not come. Whatever was part of the question came as news. To end confusion, we will give a clarification on Monday," he said.
He said that government had sponsored two studies in Delhi, 'Epidemiological Study on Effects of Air Pollution on Human Health in Delhi' during 2002-2005 and 'Study on Ambient Air Quality, Respiratory Symptoms and Lung Function of Children in Delhi' which was carried out during 2003-2005.
"The studies indicate that several pulmonary and systemic immunity and damage to chromosomes and DNA and other health impairments are associated with cumulative exposure to high level of particulate pollution that increases the risk of various diseases including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases," Mr Javadekar had said.
Meanwhile Greenpeace India clean air campaigner Aishwarya Madineni said that Delhi's polluted air is making its residents sick and endangering their long-term health.
"Whatever Minister Javadekar says, there is enough information and studies on air pollution that merit an urgent response. Greenpeace India is calling on the government to urgently introduce a system of issuing health advisories on heavy air pollution days as a very basic acknowledgement of the problem," she said.
She stressed that air pollution and its consequences on public health is not a debate but an emergency that must be addressed.
"It's time for Prakash Javadekar to stop the double speak on this issue and come clean on his plan to tackle Delhi's air pollution crisis," she said.