Congress slams govt over rapidly deteriorating air quality across nation

The Congress on Thursday slammed the Centre over the issue of "deteriorating air quality", alleging that this government denies there is a real problem, underfunds programmes targeted at mitigating pollution and fails to utilise the resources that it allocates.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said that among the lesser-known tragedies of "the non-biological PM's reign is the rapidly deteriorating air quality nationally" and the policy chaos that has characterised the government's response to it.

In the last five years, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has left more than 75 percent of the Environment Protection Charge (EPC) and Environmental Compensation (EC) funds unspent, the former environment minister said on X.

In total, Rs 665.75 crores have been left unutilised, he claimed.

"Earlier this week in the Rajya Sabha, a Union Minister of State claimed that 'There are no conclusive data available in the country to establish direct correlat