'One Week Deadline': Union Minister Cracks Whip On Officials Over Delhi-NCR’s Toxic Air
The Minister issued the directive at a high-level meeting and undertook a detailed review of Action Plans of the State Governments of Delhi NCR.
Published : December 19, 2025 at 6:23 PM IST
By Santu Das
New Delhi: Expressing concern over the persistence of poor air quality in the Delhi-NCR, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Friday directed the concerned officials to take necessary steps to ensure visible improvement in the air quality situation across the region within a week.
The Minister issued the directive at a high-level meeting, chaired by him to undertake a detailed review of Action Plans of the State Governments of NCT Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, along with concerned Municipal Bodies, for tackling the prevailing adverse air pollution situation in Delhi-NCR.This was the fourth in a series of such review meetings, conducted on a structured set of parameters in the prescribed format, as directed by the Minister in the earlier meeting held on December 3.
He directed the authorities to remove dust and construction and demolition (C&D) waste lying on roads, containment of biomass burning, and strict enforcement of construction bans during high pollution periods.
Individual officers were asked to be assigned responsibility for Mechanical Road Sweeping Machines (MRSMs), supported by GPS tracking, to ensure efficient road cleaning and dust control. Public representatives were to be involved to strengthen accountability, he desired.
The CAQM was advised to issue guidance to Municipal Bodies to not permit demolition activities unless C&D waste collection sub-centres are available within a 10 km radius. C&D activities are to be banned during October–December, and CAQM was asked to explore engagement of start-ups and the private sector for innovative C&D waste management solutions through stakeholder consultations.
Haryana was directed to replace defunct Crop Residue Management (CRM) machines, ensure utilisation of paddy straw in power plants, brick kilns and crematoriums, and encourage setting up of pelletisation plants with Central financial assistance. Decentralised and in-situ solutions, including Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) and ethanol plants, were to be explored to generate revenue and discourage stubble burning.
Specific directions were issued to seal illegal tyre-burning units and other non-permitted polluting establishments operating in Delhi-NCR. Further, it was directed to ensure installation of Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) in all polluting units—particularly in Haryana—and enforce the 31st December deadline for compliance. The Minister also directed ensuring society-wise solid waste collection and joint disposal of Bandhwari legacy waste by Faridabad and Gurugram at a common facility.
In coordination with the Delhi Forest Department, the Minister directed exploration of plantation opportunities in the NDMC area, with a target of planting 11 lakh saplings on the World Environment Day 2026.
The NHAI was advised to reduce congestion at toll plazas through improved sensors and better Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems, and to ensure proper upkeep of major traffic-carrying roads.
During the meeting, he announced that from January 2026 onwards reviews of action plans, being finalised now, will be held every month at the Ministerial level. State Governments were asked to integrate the action plans of all NCR cities under their jurisdiction for future presentations.
The Minister assured that implementation-related bottlenecks would be addressed through regular inter-State coordination meetings at the highest level.
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