Anti-Pollution Crackdown Intensifies Across NCR, 150 Inspections In 15 Days

Ahead of the seasonal spike in air pollution across the National Capital Region (NCR), the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has stepped up its compliance and enforcement operations. 

During its 139th Enforcement Task Force (ETF) meeting, the anti-pollution watchdog reviewed field operations carried out between August 24 and September 7, 2026. Over this 15-day period, CAQM's Flying Squads conducted as many as 150 targeted inspections across industrial units, construction sites, and power-generation facilities.

The inspections targeted key sectors notorious for high particulate matter and gaseous emissions. In the industrial sector, 98 inspections were conducted evaluating fuel usage and emission-control equipment. 

45 inspections checking for illegal, non-compliant, or un-retrofitted diesel generator operations. At construction and demolition sites as well, there were major site audits assessing dust mitigation protocols.

Following these reviews, CAQM says that it proposed immediate punitive and corrective actions against non-compliant entities. These include closure directions for 3 construction projects and 1 industrial unit, alongside directives to seal 25 non-compliant DG sets. 

Additional compliance orders were issued across 6 entities covering 10 DG sets, and financial penalties in the form of Environmental Compensation (EC) were recommended for 2 major industrial violators.

Special Joint Drive in Nuh, Haryana

Not just in the NCR region but in Haryana's Nuh as well, the watchdog says it amped up operations. On September 3, 2026, 8 dedicated teams from the Commission's Flying Squads—partnering with local district administration, police forces, and officers from the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB)—inspected 35 premises in a day.

While 13 facilities were found compliant, 7 units were found locked, an attempt described by the watchdog as one to evade inspection. The facilities have been slated for immediate re-inspection. For the remaining non-compliant units, recommended penalties range from formal personal hearings and sealing orders to the imposition of Environmental Compensation on six units.

Industrial Drive in Hapur, Uttar Pradesh

Under 'Operation Clean Air', CAQM's Flying Squads carried out a dedicated inspection drive targeting industrial hotspots in Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, on September 15, 2026.

Seven teams audited 22 industrial premises across major belts. The drive uncovered widespread violations—with 16 of the 22 units failing environmental norms. Observed infractions included intense smoke emissions, absent or malfunctioning Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS), wet scrubber bypasses, and hazardous wood-fired pit furnaces. Consequently, 12 Show Cause Notices (SCNs) were issued, two non-conforming units were sealed by the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), and strict action was proposed against two suspected illegal units that denied entry to inspection officers.

Mandate Ahead of Winter

With atmospheric conditions expected to deteriorate in the coming months, the CAQM says that enforcement efforts will only intensify. The Commission has further urged regional state pollution control boards, municipal bodies, and local authorities to maintain seamless coordination, monitor high-priority sectors continuously, and ensure zero tolerance for environmental violations.