New Delhi, Nov 15
Rising air pollution levels across the Delhi-NCR region have triggered a surge in health concerns, prompting an increasing number of people to install air purifiers in their homes and offices to protect themselves from polluted air.
Brijesh Goyal, Chairman of the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), an organisation representing traders and entrepreneurs in Delhi and across the country, said demand for air purifiers has increased nearly fivefold over the past few days as pollution levels in the national capital have worsened.
"Previously, an average of four air purifiers were sold daily per shop; now, that figure has risen to approximately 20 units per day, with some companies even running out of stock," the CTI said.
CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal and General Secretary Gurmeet Arora pointed out that air purifiers and HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters currently attract 18 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST), which they described as excessively high.
Goyal said the CTI has written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, urging the government to reduce the GST rate on air purifiers and HEPA filters from the existing 18 per cent to 5 per cent.
The organisation argued that while the government continues to grapple with the pollution crisis, the high tax burden on air purifiers and their filters is making these essential devices increasingly expensive and putting them beyond the reach of many people.
Pointing to the severity of the pollution situation, Goyal asserted that Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) has crossed the 400 mark, which, he said, according to doctors, is equivalent to smoking 20–25 cigarettes a day.
"Under these circumstances, an air purifier is no longer a luxury -- it has become a necessity, akin to medicine. However, due to the 18 per cent GST, it remains beyond the reach of the common man," he said.
The CTI has called for a reduction in GST on air purifiers from 18 per cent to 5 per cent, arguing that they should be brought under the category of medical or healthcare devices.
It has also demanded that the tax rate on replacement filters and other essential components, including HEPA filters, carbon filters, UV lamps, motors and sensors, be reduced to 5 per cent from the current 18 per cent. The organisation said these filters generally need to be replaced every six months.
The CTI has also demanded a reduction in the cost of raw materials for 'Make in India' products. "The GST on raw materials used for manufacturing air purifiers should be reduced from 12 per cent to 5 per cent. This would enable the production of affordable air purifiers within India and minimise imports from China," the traders' body said.
In addition to tax relief, the CTI has urged the Centre to announce a special pollution relief package of Rs 5,000 crore for Delhi. The proposed allocation, it said, should be used to strengthen measures such as the installation of smog towers, development of green belts, road washing and expansion of AQI monitoring facilities.
The CTI has further called for central financial assistance of Rs 500 crore to facilitate the installation of air purifiers in government schools, hospitals, Anganwadi centres and 100 major markets across Delhi.
The organisation has also sought financial relief for traders whose businesses have been affected by pollution-control restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), including measures that lead to market closures. It has demanded a six-month moratorium on equated monthly instalments (EMIs), a 2 per cent interest subsidy and special provisions for working capital loans to help affected traders manage their businesses.
"If the government can reduce GST on life-saving medicines, it should also reduce the GST on air purifiers -- which serve as a 'respiratory medicine' of sorts," Goyal said.
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