New Delhi: In a decisive move to bolster air quality management ahead of the critical winter season, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) conducted two intensive high-level review meetings on 3rd July 2025 with the State Governments of Haryana and Punjab in Chandigarh. Chaired by Shri Rajesh Verma, Chairperson, CAQM, and attended by senior members of the Commission along with Chief Secretaries and departmental heads from both states, the sessions were aimed at expediting the implementation of multi-sectoral pollution abatement strategies across the region.
Haryana Review: Action Plan Execution and Road Dust Mitigation in Focus
During the first review with the Government of Haryana, CAQM assessed the implementation status of the state’s approved action plan to eliminate stubble burning, with particular emphasis on 2025 paddy residue management preparedness. Officials detailed measures for the use of paddy straw-based biomass pellets in brick kilns and evaluated thermal power plants’ compliance with emission norms, including their progress toward achieving a minimum 5% biomass co-firing target for 2025–26.
The Commission also scrutinized the State’s road dust mitigation strategies, such as the redevelopment of priority road stretches, and pressed for improved enforcement of directives issued to curb vehicular pollution. These included:
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Liquidation of End-of-Life (EoL) vehicles
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Installation of Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras under Direction No. 89
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Accelerated adoption of clean mobility solutions by aggregators, delivery networks, and e-commerce platforms
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Complete migration of buses entering Delhi to cleaner fuels, including All India Tourist Permit buses
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Enforcement of restrictions on polluting commercial goods vehicles entering Delhi
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Phasing out diesel-run auto-rickshaws and encouraging inter-city buses to shift to electric/CNG/hybrid models
Punjab Review: Total Stubble Burning Elimination and Vehicle Emission Control
The second meeting with the Government of Punjab was marked by a similar depth of analysis. The Commission reviewed the State’s comprehensive plan for complete elimination of paddy stubble burning in 2025, an annual challenge that significantly contributes to NCR’s winter smog. Officials presented progress on the mandatory use of biomass pellets in brick kilns, adherence to emission standards by thermal power plants, and action taken to meet biomass co-firing targets.
Additional discussions included:
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Status of clean fuel migration for inter-city transport
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Enforcement measures to limit entry of polluting vehicles into Delhi
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Directional compliance with regards to vehicular emissions and transition to electric/public transport options
The Commission emphasised proactive implementation of all Statutory Directions and insisted on real-time inter-departmental coordination to mitigate risks ahead of the winter season, when air pollution levels typically spike across North India.
Field Visits and Ground-Level Assessments
To support the review meetings with empirical insights, CAQM officials conducted field visits on 4th July to various ex-situ paddy stubble management installations in Punjab and Haryana. These included:
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Pelletisation Plants
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Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) Plants
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Biomass Power Generation Units
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2G Ethanol Plants
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Industrial Boilers using agricultural residue
These inspections helped evaluate the technological viability, capacity, and scalability of infrastructure in place, and identify bottlenecks or areas for policy and operational enhancement.
Reaffirming Commitment and Actionable Roadmap
The Commission reiterated that the successful execution of its directives hinges on the sustained commitment and coordination between the Centre, States, and local stakeholders. While acknowledging the efforts made by both Punjab and Haryana thus far, CAQM stressed that the next few months are critical for the region’s air quality trajectory.
In particular, the Chairperson urged for:
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Immediate operationalisation of infrastructure for paddy straw disposal
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Faster transition to clean transportation, especially for vehicles entering Delhi
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Stringent on-ground enforcement of restrictions and emission norms
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Institutional coordination and data-backed accountability to ensure transparency
The meetings concluded with a collective pledge to transform planning into measurable impact, reflecting an integrated vision for cleaner air and healthier living conditions in one of India’s most pollution-prone regions.
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