**Executive Summary**
The Union Environment Minister, Shri Bhupender Yadav, chaired a review meeting on action plans by the state governments of Rajasthan and Punjab to tackle air pollution in Delhi-NCR. Key directives included the preparation of sector-wise targeted action plans with fixed accountability for visible results in the next season, and monthly ministerial-level action plan reviews beginning in January 2026. The meeting, held on 06 JAN 2026, emphasized priority measures concerning public transport, municipal solid waste management, and crop residue management.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Action Plan Reviews & Preparation:**
* Monthly ministerial-level action plan reviews will begin in January 2026.
* Sector-wise targeted action plans are to be prepared with clearly defined responsibilities for execution.
* Action plans are to be prepared eight months in advance to ensure efficient execution and positive results next season.
* **Rajasthan Specific Directives:**
* Address public transport gaps in Alwar, Bhiwadi, Neemrana, and Bharatpur.
* Prioritize procurement of electric buses and submission of a timeline-wise proposal.
* Augment charging infrastructure in urban areas and along highways/expressways in a mission mode.
* Address unplanned truck parking issues in Bhiwadi and Neemrana, including parking lot identification and plan preparation.
* Submit city-specific road redevelopment plans for Alwar, Bhiwadi, Neemrana, and Bharatpur.
* Identify traffic congestion points and prepare short-term and long-term decongestion plans.
* Develop a comprehensive scheme for liquidation of legacy waste and deploy Mechanical Road Sweeping Machines (MRSMs) immediately where gaps are identified.
* Undertake tree plantation as part of roadside greening efforts with community involvement at 600 identified locations in Alwar and Bhiwadi.
* Issue immediate closure notices to non-compliant industrial units lacking Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS).
* Focus IEC activities on sector-specific stakeholder participation (e.g., industrial units for emission control, resident welfare associations for municipal solid waste segregation).
* Undertake greening activities in mission mode using local bush species.
* **Punjab Specific Directives:**
* Ensure all Crop Residue Management (CRM) machines are in working condition and used efficiently.
* Prepare SOPs for certification of machines in good working condition.
* Ministry of Agriculture to brainstorm innovative mechanisms, in consultation with stakeholders and the scientific community, for effective management of crop residue and to counter stubble burning.
* Encourage pelletisation plants.
* Utilize crop residue in thermal power plants and brick kilns.
* Emphasize installation of Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) plants as an environmentally friendly solution.
* Encourage drone-based surveillance to deter crop residue burning.
**Impact Analysis**
**State Governments of Rajasthan and Punjab**
* **Impact:** Required to formulate and implement specific action plans to address air pollution in Delhi-NCR, focusing on public transport, waste management, and crop residue.
* **Action Required:** Prepare sector-wise targeted action plans, address specific infrastructure and regulatory issues (e.g., electric buses, charging infrastructure, truck parking, OCEMS compliance), and collaborate with relevant departments and stakeholders.
**Ministry of Agriculture**
* **Impact:** Involved in addressing crop residue management, particularly in Punjab.
* **Action Required:** Brainstorm innovative mechanisms for effective crop residue management and counter stubble burning, in consultation with stakeholders and the scientific community.
**Industrial Units in Rajasthan and Punjab**
* **Impact:** Subject to increased scrutiny and potential closure if not compliant with environmental regulations, particularly regarding OCEMS installation.
* **Action Required:** Ensure compliance with environmental regulations, including OCEMS installation, and participate in IEC activities for emission control.
**Residents of Alwar and Bhiwadi**
* **Impact:** Affected by efforts to improve solid waste management and expand tree coverage.
* **Action Required:** Participate in efforts to segregate and process municipal solid waste, and to support roadside greening activities.
Key Entities Referenced
Delhi-NCR: Region including Delhi and surrounding areas, subject to air pollution concerns addressed in the meeting.
Action Plans of Rajasthan and Punjab: Plans developed by the state governments to tackle air pollution in Delhi-NCR.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: The Union ministry responsible for environmental policy and overseeing the action plans.
Bhupender Yadav: Union Environment Minister, who chaired the review meeting.
Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM): The commission responsible for Air Quality Management.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Union Environment Minister chairs Review
Meeting on Action Plans of Rajasthan and
Punjab to tackle Air Pollution in Delhi-NCR
Shri Bhupender Yadav directs Priority Measures on Public
Transport, Management of Municipal Solid Waste and Crop
Residue to Improve NCR Air Quality
Sector-wise Targeted Action Plans with Fixed Accountability
to ensure Visible Results Next Season
प्रव तथ: 06 JAN 2026 5:47PM by PIB Delhi
The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, today chaired a
high-level meeting to undertake a detailed review of Action Plans of the State Governments of Rajasthan
and Punjab for tackling air pollution in Delhi-NCR. This was the fifth meeting in the series of such
reviews, conducted on prescribed parameters and formats as directed by the Minister in the earlier review
meeting held on 03.12.2025.
Expressing concern over Delhi-NCR air quality throughout the year, the Minister informed that from
January 2026, review of action plans would be held every month at the Ministerial level. The Minister
directed that sector-wise targeted action plans be prepared, with clear responsibility for execution fixed onconcerned departments. As the action plans are being prepared eight months in advance, it was expressed
that efficient execution would lead to visible positive results in the next season. The Minister assured that
all implementational roadblocks would be addressed through regular inter-State coordination meetings at
the highest level.
Reviewing Rajasthan’s detailed action plan, Shri Yadav highlighted that public transport gaps need to be
addressed in Alwar, Bhiwadi, Neemrana and Bharatpur. Electric buses are to be procured on priority, with
a timeline-wise proposal to be submitted. Charging infrastructure is to be augmented in a mission mode in
urban areas as well as along highways and expressways. The issue of unplanned truck parking in Bhiwadi
and Neemrana along the National Highway was flagged as a major concern requiring immediate action,
including identification of parking lots and preparation of a parking plan to avoid congestion.
The Minister desired that city-specific road redevelopment plans are to be submitted for Alwar, Bhiwadi,
Neemrana and Bharatpur. Traffic congestion points are to be identified and short-term and long-term
traffic decongestion plans prepared. A comprehensive scheme for liquidation of legacy waste is to be
developed, and Mechanical Road Sweeping Machines (MRSMs) are to be deployed immediately,
wherever gaps have been identified. It was informed that 600 locations have been identified in Alwar,
Bhiwadi for tree plantation as part of the roadside Greening efforts with community involvement.
Shri Yadav directed that closure notices are to be issued immediately to non-compliant industrial units that
have not yet installed Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS). Further, IEC activities
need to focus on sector-specific stakeholder participation, eg. With industrial units for emission control,
with Resident Welfare Associations in segregation and processing for handling municipal solid waste etc.
Greening activities are to be undertaken in mission mode, using local species of bushes, the Minister
desired.
Going through Punjab’s presentation, Shri Yadav emphasised that all Crop Residue Management (CRM)
machines must be ensured to be in working condition and used efficiently. To ensure this, he desired that
SOPs may be prepared for certification of machines in good working condition. The Minister requested
the Ministry of Agriculture to brainstorm innovative mechanisms, in consultation with stakeholders and
the scientific community, for effective management of crop residue and to counter stubble burning. The
need for introspection on the effectiveness of existing measures was underlined. Pelletisation plants are tobe encouraged, and crop residue is to be utilised in thermal power plants and brick kilns. Installation of
Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) plants was emphasised as the most environment-friendly solution for crop
residue management. Drone-based surveillance was also encouraged to deter crop residue burning.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary (Environment, Forest and Climate Change); Secretary
(Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare); Chairman, Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM); senior
officers from the Union Ministries of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Housing and Urban
Development, and Heavy Industries; and representatives of the State Governments of Rajasthan and
Punjab. Senior officers from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and respective State Pollution
Control Boards (SPCBs) were also present.
*****
VM
(रलीज़ आईडी: 2211812) आगंतुक पटल : 603
इस वज्ञ को इन भाषाओ ंम पढ़: Urdu , ही , Punjabi