The Central government has directed the industries across Delhi-NCR to install emission monitors by December 31, else they will face strict actions, including shut down. The government has also asked the Delhi-NCR states to share their 2026 air pollution action plan within this month. The decision was taken in a review meeting chaired by Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav, reported PTI.
The meeting was attended by Central Pollution Control Board Chairperson Vir Vikram Yadav, who also said that 2,254 highly polluting industries in Delhi-NCR have not yet installed and connected their Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) to the CPCB server.
“Strict action, including closure, will be taken against industries that do not meet the December 31 deadline,” he said. the CPCB chief added that all medium and large red-category units in the food and food processing, textile and metal processing sectors in Delhi-NCR are mandated to install OCEMS for real-time monitoring of emissions, stack gases and industrial operations.
He informed that industries have also been told to install air pollution control devices by December 31, failing which action will follow, he said.
CAQM on measures taken by Punjab, Haryana
Meanwhile, Commission for Air Quality Management chairperson Rajesh Verma said Punjab and Haryana have been directed to prepare an action plan this year itself to curb stubble burning during the next paddy harvesting season.
He added that a meeting in this regard will be held soon in Chandigarh. Verma also said the CAQM will form an expert panel on vehicular pollution. Verma added that they have identified 62 congestion-linked pollution hotspots in Delhi.
Apart from this, multiple agencies including the traffic police and public works department, have been asked to act immediately.
CPCB on ‘tampering of AQI data’ charge
Amid the row over pollution in the city, the CPCB has dismissed the possibility that tampering is possible with the machines showing AQI data. He said the data cannot be manipulated with, after many said that spraying water in these areas lowers the readings.
“The monitoring and data collection is automated… the stations generate data every 15 minutes and AQI is calculated every hour, following which the average AQI is generated. These stations are not manual, and hence any kind of human intervention or manipulation is not possible,” CPCB Chairman Vir Vikram Yadav told reporters.
