New Delhi : The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) held the 124th meeting of its Enforcement Task Force (ETF) on 21 January 2026 to assess inspection and enforcement activities carried out across the National Capital Region (NCR) between 7 and 19 January 2026.
During this period, CAQM’s flying squads conducted extensive checks across major pollution‑linked sectors, including industries, diesel generator (DG) sets, construction and demolition (C&D) sites, road dust, and incidents of biomass or municipal solid waste (MSW) burning.
Inspection Highlights
- Total inspections: 330
- Industries checked: 241
- DG sets inspected: 22
- C&D sites inspected: 5
- Road stretches examined: 62
From these inspections, 90 violations were recorded:
- 66 in the industrial sector
- 2 involving DG sets
- 4 at C&D sites
- 18 related to road dust
Enforcement actions—including closures, sealing of DG sets, and issuance of show‑cause notices—were recommended in 72 cases. The Commission also noted closure recommendations for nine ready‑mix concrete (RMC) plants.
Special Drives on Road Dust
Two large‑scale inspection drives were conducted on 8 and 13 January 2026, covering 150 road stretches—23 in Noida and 127 under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation, Faridabad.
Findings:
- 20 stretches had high dust levels
- 34 stretches had moderate dust levels
- 75 stretches had low dust levels
For non‑compliance with dust control measures, a notice was issued to the Deputy Commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on 13 January. Action Taken Reports (ATRs) have since been received from five MCD zones.
Biomass and Waste Burning Checks
On 14 January 2026, flying squads carried out a special inspection in North Delhi to monitor biomass burning and MSW dumping.
- Locations inspected: 65
- Biomass/MSW burning incidents: 47
- MSW dumping cases: 18
Reports from this drive have been forwarded to the concerned agencies for detailed ATRs.
Overall Enforcement Status
As of 21 January 2026, CAQM has inspected 25,232 units, projects, and entities. Based on these inspections:
- 1,643 closure directions have been issued for violations.
- 1,261 resumption orders have been granted after compliance verification.
- 108 cases have been transferred to State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) or the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) for final decisions.
- 274 cases remain under examination.
Commission’s Message
The CAQM emphasized that active enforcement, strict compliance by stakeholders, and coordinated action among agencies are essential for effective pollution control across NCR. The Commission reiterated its commitment to sustained monitoring and enforcement to ensure cleaner air for residents of the region.
