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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4839
TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.03.2026
Enforcement Action Under CAQM
4839. MS IQRA CHOUDHARY:
ADV PRIYA SAROJ:
SHRI DEVESH SHAKYA:
SHRI PUSHPENDRA SAROJ:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:
(a) the number of industrial units, construction sites and other entities found violating Graded
Response Action Plan (GRAP) norms, State/UT-wise and district-wise for Uttar Pradesh,
including Etah and Kasganj;
(b) the details of penalties imposed under the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)
directions, including the number of closure orders issued, environmental compensation levied and
amounts actually recovered, State/UT-wise, including the said districts;
(c) the number of repeated violators identified, and action taken against them including
prosecution or sealing of premises, State/UT-wise, including the said districts;
(d) the gap between penalties imposed and penalties realised, along with reasons for non- recovery
or delay in enforcement, State/UT-wise, including the said districts; and
(e) the monitoring mechanism adopted by the Government to ensure strict compliance and prevent
seasonal, temporary enforcement limited only to peak pollution periods
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE
CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) to (e): To address air pollution in Delhi-NCR, Government has established the Commission
for Air Quality Management (CAQM) under the Commission for Air Quality Management in
NCR and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021 for better coordination, research, identification and
resolution of problems of air pollution in Delhi- NCR and adjoining areas. CAQM has been
provided powers under the Act to take measures and issue directions to the various agencies in
the National Capital Region for protecting and improving air quality. Etah and Kasganj districts
of Uttar Pradesh are not part of Delhi-NCR.
So far, CAQM has issued 98 Statutory Directions and 17 Advisories to concerned stakeholders
for control of air pollution in Delhi-NCR inter-alia include prescribing stringent emission norms
various polluting activities, mandated thermal power plants located within 300 km of Delhi and
coal based Captive Thermal Power Plants in the Delhi-NCR for co-firing of biomass pellets (up
to 5 to 10%), mandating use of paddy straw-based bio-mass pellets / briquettes in all brick kilns
located in the districts beyond NCR in Punjab and Haryana. A monitoring mechanism has beenput in place and these directions are rigorously monitored for implementation through periodic
progress reviews, issuing subsequent orders and directions from time to time.
Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is an emergency response action plan for NCR, which calls
for a set of emergent preventive/restrictive actions across stipulated sectors in the GRAP schedule,
depending on air quality of Delhi.
Enforcement Task Force (ETF) has been constituted to monitor and supervise the implementation
of the statutory directions issued by the CAQM from time to time and related environmental
statutes on matters related to air pollution in Delhi-NCR.
Flying Squads/Inspection Teams have been formed to carry out incognito checks, throughout the
year including GRAP periods, for identifying serious violations/statutory directions issued by
CAQM for taking appropriate action thereon, based on the seriousness of non-compliances. These
inspections are to supplement the actions of SPCBs/DPCC in their enforcement primarily focusing
on industries, C& D activities and DG sets.
The ETF, through its regular meetings, considers the recommendations of the Flying Squads/
Inspection Teams and recommends appropriate directions on each of the inspection reports,
including reviewing the status of various Closure Directions and Resumption Orders issued by
the CAQM.
A Sub-Committee on Safeguarding and Enforcement has also been constituted to monitor the
enforcement actions by different agencies.
With regard to penalties, Environmental Compensation charges are levied and realized on/from
polluting units by the concerned State Pollution Control Boards/Committees before consideration
of resumption.
State-wise details of enforcement actions taken during the invocation of GRAP from 14.10.2025
to 16.03.2026 including District-wise actions in Uttar Pradesh regarding control of air pollution
in Delhi-NCR, are provided at Annexure.
***Annexure
State-wise details of enforcement actions taken by CAQM during the GRAP period from
14.10.2025 to 16.03.2026 including District-wise actions in Uttar Pradesh regarding control
of air pollution in Delhi-NCR
i. The actions taken for the violation reported during this period are as under:
(i) Industrial Sector:
Action UP Haryana Delhi Rajasthan Total
Closures 53 98 03 08 162
Show Cause Notices (SCN) 79 95 01 12 187
Letter to SPCBs/DPCC 04 09 01 01 15
for imposition of EC
Out of this, one Unit was found repeat violator. UPPCB was directed to impose deterrent EC
charges and file prosecution action against the repeat violator.
District wise details of Uttar Pradesh
Sl. No. District Name Closure SCN Letter for EC
1. Baghpat 01 - -
2. Bulandshahar 07 04 -
3. Gautambudhnagar 09 10 01
4. Ghaziabad 14 33 -
5. Hapur 11 13 02
6. Meerut 03 11 -
7. Muzaffarnagar 06 08 01
8. Shamli 02 - -
TOTAL 53 79 04
(ii) Construction & Demolition Activities
Action UP Haryana Delhi Rajasthan Total
Closures 28 30 0 3 61
SCN 07 16 05 00 28
Letter to UPPCB, HSPCB 05 01 0 0 06
for imposition of EC
Out of this the repeat violators identified were –03 sites. SPCBs/DPCC were directed to impose
deterrent EC charges and file prosecution action against repeat violators.District wise list of Uttar Pradesh:
Sl. No. District Name Closure SCN Letter to UPPCB for imposing EC
1. Baghpat 0 0 0
2. Bulandshahar 0 0 0
3. Gautambudhnagar 24 04 04
4. Ghaziabad 1 03 01
5. Hapur 2 0 0
6. Meerut 0 0 0
7. Muzaffarnagar 1 0 0
8. Shamli 0 0 0
TOTAL 28 07 05
(iii) Status of DG Sets- Sealing
From 19.10.2025 (stage -II) to 16.03.2026 (during GRAP Period)
Sealing of DG - Sets UP Haryana Delhi Rajasthan Total
Units 66 84 11 07 168
No. of DG-Sets 90 110 14 09 223
District – wise status of UP (DG - Sealing)
Sl. No. District Name Units No. of DG-Sets
1. Baghpat - -
2. Bulandshahar 2 2
3. Gautambudhnagar 18 26
4. Ghaziabad 20 25
5. Hapur 13 13
6. Meerut 08 13
7. Muzaffarnagar 04 10
8. Shamli 01 01
Total 66 90
***