Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Thursday chaired the fourth high-level review meeting to assess the action plans of NCT Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, along with concerned municipal bodies, to tackle persistent air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region. The meeting followed a structured review framework directed earlier on December 3, 2025, and was attended by Union Minister of State (EFCC) Kirti Vardhan Singh.
Monthly Ministerial Reviews from January 2026
Expressing concern over the continued poor air quality, Shri Yadav announced that from January 2026 onwards, action plans—now being finalised—will be reviewed every month at the Ministerial level. State Governments were instructed to integrate action plans of all NCR cities under their jurisdiction for unified presentation and execution. He assured that implementation bottlenecks will be resolved through regular inter-State coordination meetings at the highest level.
One-Week Timeline for Visible Improvement
The Minister underscored the need for urgency, directing authorities to ensure visible improvement in air quality across the NCR within one week. While calling for strict action against defaulters, he cautioned against unnecessary inconvenience to the public. Identified gaps are to be addressed through corrective measures, with a review scheduled in 15 days.
Traffic, Transport and Urban Measures
Key directions included:
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Smooth traffic management at 62 identified congestion hotspots across NCR
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Promotion of EV/CNG buses by corporates and industrial units for employee transport
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Staggered timings for offices, malls and commercial complexes to reduce peak congestion
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End-to-end public transport on high-traffic routes
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Fast-tracking Integrated Smart Traffic Management Systems (ITMS) in Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Noida
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Ensuring enforcement checks by traffic police do not themselves cause congestion
The Minister also stressed coordination with DMRC to improve last-mile metro connectivity and directed removal of encroachments causing congestion within 10 days, along with AMC-backed measures for pothole-free roads and improved drainage to prevent monsoon damage.
Dust Control, C&D Waste and Construction Curbs
Immediate actions were ordered to:
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Remove dust and construction & demolition (C&D) waste from roads
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Contain biomass burning
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Enforce construction bans during high pollution periods
Officers were assigned responsibility for Mechanical Road Sweeping Machines (MRSMs) with GPS tracking for accountability. Public representatives are to be involved to strengthen oversight.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) was advised to guide municipal bodies to disallow demolition unless C&D waste sub-centres exist within a 10 km radius. C&D activities are to be banned during October–December, and CAQM was asked to explore start-up and private-sector solutions for innovative C&D waste management.
Industry, Emissions and Waste Management
Specific directions included:
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Sealing illegal tyre-burning units and other non-permitted polluting establishments
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Ensuring Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) in all polluting units, with December 31 as the compliance deadline—particularly in Haryana
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Society-wise solid waste collection and joint disposal of Bandhwari legacy waste by Faridabad and Gurugram at a common facility
Agriculture, Biomass and Clean Fuels
Haryana was directed to:
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Replace defunct Crop Residue Management (CRM) machines
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Ensure utilisation of paddy straw in power plants, brick kilns and crematoriums
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Promote pelletisation plants with Central financial assistance
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Explore decentralised, in-situ solutions such as Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) and ethanol plants to discourage stubble burning and create revenue streams
Greening, Highways and Toll Management
In coordination with the Delhi Forest Department, plantation opportunities in the NDMC area are to be explored, targeting 11 lakh saplings by World Environment Day 2026. National Highways Authority of India was advised to reduce congestion at toll plazas through improved sensors and ANPR systems, and to ensure upkeep of major traffic corridors.
Conclusion
Reiterating the need for sustained momentum, Shri Bhupender Yadav called for coordinated, accountable and citizen-sensitive implementation to deliver measurable air-quality gains. With monthly Ministerial reviews from January 2026, enhanced inter-State coordination, and time-bound directives across transport, industry, waste management and agriculture, the Government aims to secure durable improvements in Delhi-NCR’s air quality.
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Source: PIB
