CAQM issued 95 statutory directions for air pollution: Govt tells Parliament

THe direction for send lineament direction (CAQM) in the subject Capital Region (NCR) has issued 95 statutory directions to control air pollution, Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav told Lok Sabha on Monday. He said a monitoring mechanism to oversee the implementation of these directions has been put in place.Yadav said that the commission has come up with stringent emission norms for polluting activities in NCR, as compared to the national standards. He was responding to Congress lawmaker Krisan Namdeo’s queries on the alarming levels of air pollution in Delhi, its adverse impact on public health, particularly during the winter months.Namdeo asked whether the Delhi government has adequately utilised the funds and resources provided for pollution control measures.Yadav said CAQM was established for better coordination, research, identification, and resolution of problems related to air pollution in Delhi, NCR, and adjoining areas. He added that the commission has the power to take measures and issue directions to agencies for protecting and improving air quality. Yadav said the commission has addressed the issue of air pollution in Delhi-NCR in a collective, collaborative, and participative mode.Yadav said the commission has prepared the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), providing a set of emergency response actions, depending on the severity of air pollution levels. He referred to the dynamic model and weather forecast on a day-to-day basis and said actions are taken under Stages I, 2, 3, and 4 of the Grap.Yadav said the commission conducted a comprehensive review of the contours of the Grap and made the actions more stringent. He detailed air pollution review meetings and added that the number of good air days or Air Quality Index (AQI)<200) in Delhi increased to 200 days in 2025 from 110 days in 2016.In response to Congress lawmaker Imran Masood’s question, minister of state for environment Kirti Vardhan Singh said the government launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in January 2019 to control pollution and improve air quality across the country. He added that the programme aims to improve air quality in 130 non-attainment and million-plus cities across 24 states and Union territories through the implementation of national, state, and city-level clean air action plans.He said 17 Uttar Pradesh cities have been included under the programme. “... ₹2941.15 crore has been released to Uttar Pradesh under NCAP for implementation of air quality improvement measures as part of city action plans.”Delhi experienced a 24-day streak of “very poor” air between November 6 and 29, when the AQI remained above 300. Three “severe” air days were recorded in the same period from November 11 to 13.