Report by the Central Pollution Control Board in the matter of In re: News item appearing in Times of India dated 10.10.2023 titled “Delhi, Chennai studies hint at pollution link to diabetes” dated 14/12/2023.

CPCB has duly identified 131 cities exceeding National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) consecutively for five years, which were notified to protect human health. City Specific Clean Air Action Plans have been prepared and rolled out for implementation in 131 non-attainments and million plus cities. These plans target city specific air polluting sources like soil, road dust, vehicles, domestic fuel, municipal solid waste burning, construction material and industries with short-term priority action as well as those to be implemented in a medium to longer time frame along with the responsible agencies such as urban local bodies, traffic department, police department, SPCB/PCC as stakeholders.

Furthermore, various steps have been undertaken by the government of India for reduction of air pollution and improvement of air quality in India. All efforts, besides lowering particulate matter would also help in controlling hazardous pollutants like arsenic, nickel, lead and benzol, pyrene as these are components of PM2.5. Ambient air quality in the country is monitored through 1449 ambient air quality monitoring stations covering 516 cities in 28 states and 7 union territories. The information given in the news article correlating exposure of PM2.5 to increase risk of type 2 diabetes, may require response from AIIMS, ICMR and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.