Govt to clarify on int'l report on air pollution

Government today 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," 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.