Minister Says AQI Has No 'Direct' Link to Lung Disease- Doctors and Studies Tell a Different Story

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Delhi and several other Indian cities choke under hazardous air pollution, a statement made in Parliament has raised serious concerns among doctors, researchers and public health experts. Minister of State for Environment and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh told the Rajya Sabha that 'there is no direct correlation between higher Air Quality Index (AQI) levels and lung diseases, with no conclusive data to establish such a link.' Air pollution only has a triggering effect, he adds. At a time when hospitals are reporting a surge in respiratory complaints, this assertion is not just misleading, it risks downplaying a well-established public health emergency. The science on air pollution and lung disease is neither new nor inconclusive.

What global health authorities say about air pollution and lung diseases

The World Health Organization (WHO), through its cancer research arm, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), has classified outdoor air pollution and particulate matter (PM) as carcinogenic to humans. This classification is not based on association alone, it means air pollution causes lung cancer.ALSO READ: Ayurvedic Expert Shares Remedies to Protect Your LungsWHO also states that fine particulate matter (PM2.5), the most dangerous component of polluted air, can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream. Long-term exposure increases the risk of chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), reduced lung function and lung cancer.In public health terms, this already establishes a causal pathway - you get exposed, there is biological mechanism and disease outcome.

What peer-reviewed research shows

A PubMed-indexed population-based cohort study found that every 5 µg/m³ increase in PM2.5 exposure raised the risk of developing chronic lung disease by nearly 30 per cent, along with higher mortality. This is not anecdotal data, it is large-scale epidemiological evidence.Numerous studies across countries with varying pollution profiles show the same pattern: as particulate pollution rises, so do respiratory hospital admissions, asthma exacerbations, COPD flare-ups and long-term lung damage. AQI, while an index, is derived directly from these pollutant concentrations, dismissing its relevance ignores how it is calculated.

What Indian doctors see on the ground

If data feels abstract, Indian clinicians offer a grim reality check.“Air pollution is as injurious to lungs as smoking cigarettes,” says Dr. Arvind Kumar, Chairman, Institute of Chest Surgery and Lung Transplantation. He has repeatedly warned that long-term pollution exposure is a significant risk factor for lung cancer, including among non-smokers.Dr. Ritu Singh, professor and HOD, Department of Biochemistry at Lady Hardinge Medical College, recently described Delhi’s air as 'horrible' and urged residents to protect themselves aggressively. Her warning was blunt- “Spend all your hard-earned money on HEPA filters because your lungs are not replaceable.”Pulmonologists echo the same concern daily in clinics. Dr. Shivanshu Raj Goyal of Max Super Speciality Hospital explains that dense smog irritates airways, reduces lung function and triggers asthma flare-ups, bronchitis, allergic rhinitis and infections, especially in those with existing lung disease.Former AIIMS director and pulmonologist Dr. Randeep Guleria has repeatedly warned that Delhi’s pollution aggravates asthma and COPD and even causes breathing problems in people who never had lung disease before. Dr. Gopi Chand Khilnani, another senior pulmonologist, has linked rising air pollution levels to increased COPD and lung cancer cases, alongside declining lung immunity and capacity.

Why is there a disconnect?

Beyond studies and statements, there is lived evidence. Doctors across Delhi-NCR report a visible rise in patients with breathing difficulties including young adults and children with no prior respiratory history and stable patients whose conditions worsen every winter.To say there is 'no direct link' between AQI and lung disease is to ignore decades of research, global health consensus and what Indian doctors see in OPDs every single day. AQI may be an index, but what it measures, that is the particulate pollution has a direct, proven and damaging relationship with lung health. Denying that link does not change the science. It only delays accountability while millions continue to breathe air that is slowly damaging their lungs.