Bhupender Yadav Reviews NCR Pollution Action Plans for Gurugram, Faridabad

Shri Yadav instructed officers to conduct extensive field inspections and ensure visible, measurable progress in eliminating pollution sources. Monthly action-taken reports will be submitted for Ministerial review.

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav chaired a high-level review meeting to assess the city-specific action plans for tackling air pollution in Gurugram and Faridabad. Held on 16 December 2025, this was the second review meeting in a series initiated after his directive on 3 December 2025 to evaluate NCR cities using structured parameters and prescribed formats.

Key Concerns: Waste, Traffic, Road Conditions and By-law Violations

The Minister flagged several persistent issues that continue to worsen air quality in both NCR cities:

• Legacy waste accumulation

• Traffic congestion and illegal parking

• Poor condition of rural and peri-urban roads

• Violations of building by-laws

Shri Yadav instructed officers to conduct extensive field inspections and ensure visible, measurable progress in eliminating pollution sources. Monthly action-taken reports will be submitted for Ministerial review.

Urgent Action Needed on C&D Waste and Legacy Waste

The Minister highlighted critical gaps in Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste collection and processing infrastructure. He directed Municipal Commissioners of Gurugram and Faridabad to prepare integrated action plans for:

• Clearing long-pending municipal solid waste (MSW)/legacy waste

• Paving urban roads to reduce dust pollution

• Taking action against unregistered and deregistered vehicles

Shri Yadav also instructed the CPCB and HSPCB to target illegal units in Faridabad and Nuh that burn waste tyres for oil extraction—an activity that emits toxic pollutants. The need to augment Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) stations was also underscored.

Public Participation and Behavioural Change

The Minister emphasized that solving pollution is a shared societal responsibility. He recommended initiating:

• Urban cleanliness campaigns in mission mode

• Formation of urban teams involving Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and public representatives

• Technological solutions and capacity building for safai karamcharis

• Targeted IEC campaigns tailored to different demographic groups, especially youth

Behavioural awareness of environmental rules and waste management practices, he stressed, is essential for lasting change.

Expanding Green Cover and Reducing Vehicular Emissions

Shri Yadav directed authorities to enhance urban greening, in collaboration with the State Forest Department, by planting indigenous, heat-resistant and low-water-requiring species.

To reduce vehicular emissions, he instructed authorities to:

• Identify traffic congestion hotspots

• Remove unnecessary police barricades

• Eliminate illegal parking

• Develop structured parking facilities

• Prepare long-term plans to curb vehicular pollution

Recognising Best Practices and Strengthening Compliance

The Minister praised Faridabad’s “Pothole Ambulance Initiative”, which resolves potholes within 72 hours, recommending its replication across NCR. Other best practices discussed included:

• Revitalizing parks and open spaces by clearing solid waste

• Miyawaki plantation techniques

• Establishing green crematoriums

• Reusing treated sewage water for urban plantations

He expressed concern that nearly 50% of industries delinquent in installing Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) are located in Haryana (1,151 out of 2,254 units). Strict enforcement actions were directed against non-compliant industries.

Shri Yadav also instructed officials to rejuvenate water bodies and parks in Gurugram through CSR collaborations, and to focus on improving cleanliness and infrastructure in older settlements (bastis).

Senior Officials and NCR Administrators Participate

The meeting was attended by the Chairman, Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM); senior officers from MoEFCC, CPCB, and UP SPCB; and the District Magistrates and Municipal Commissioners of Gurugram, Faridabad and Manesar.

The review reinforced the Government’s commitment to a multi-sectoral, accountable and citizen-inclusive approach to improve air quality in NCR.