UP Government's Air Pollution Action Plan Review
Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Narendra Bhooshan, reviewed the Uttar Pradesh State Government's action plan to address air pollution in Delhi-NCR and winter preparedness on October 23, 2026. The UP Government presented 11 key initiatives targeting multiple pollution sources including road dust, construction and demolition activities, open biomass burning, vehicular pollution, traffic congestion, industrial pollution, greening efforts, and paddy stubble management.
Key Interventions and Progress
The state government has implemented several measures achieving considerable progress, including road redevelopment projects, traffic decongestion at hotspots, deployment of electric buses and EV charging infrastructure, and establishment of solid waste processing facilities capable of handling 100% of solid waste generation. Additional measures include remediation of legacy waste dump sites, C&D waste processing facilities, secondary collection centers, and enhanced monitoring and enforcement of air pollution control measures at construction sites and industries.
Vehicular Pollution Measures
Secretary Bhooshan emphasized the need for active engagement with truck and bus associations to accelerate adoption of the PARIVARTAN scheme for replacing old trucks and buses. He suggested the Transport Department should facilitate providing NOCs for shifting old vehicles out of NCR and urged faster installation of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras at all fuel stations to enforce the 'No PUCC No Fuel' policy.
Waste Management and Monitoring
The review assessed the adequacy of C&D waste processing facilities relative to generation rates. Secretary Bhooshan suggested integrating monitoring and enforcement actions through existing Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCC) in several cities, including remote monitoring of construction sites, tracking vehicles carrying C&D and solid waste, monitoring mechanical road sweeping operations, and traffic decongestion efforts. The Dust portal developed by UP Pollution Control Board for monitoring construction sites was noted, and urban local bodies were encouraged to develop Namo Vans under the Nagar Van Yojana scheme.
Industrial Compliance
The preparedness of industries to install Air Pollution Control Devices (APCDs) to meet revised emission norms prescribed by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) was reviewed. UP Pollution Control Board and Industry Departments were advised to hold meetings with industries and associations to closely monitor implementation and address bottlenecks.
Meeting Participants
The meeting was attended by senior officials from Union Ministries of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; Power; Road Transport and Highways, along with representatives from CAQM, CPCB, NCR Planning Board, various departments of the Uttar Pradesh State Government, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, and District Collectors and Municipal Commissioners of Ghaziabad, Meerut, Noida, Greater Noida, Bulandsahr, Hapur, Baghpat, Muzaffarnagar, and Shamli.