The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas has issued Statutory Direction No. 98 prescribing a uniform and more stringent particulate matter emission standard of 50 mg per normal cubic metre for identified industries across Delhi NCR, in a significant step to curb industrial pollution in the region.
The decision follows recommendations of the Central Pollution Control Board based on studies conducted by IIT Kanpur and the Technical Committee constituted by the Central Pollution Control Board. The Commission concluded that a particulate matter emission standard of 50 mg per normal cubic metre is both technically achievable and environmentally necessary.
Under the statutory direction, the maximum permissible limit of particulate matter emissions from 17 categories of highly polluting industries identified by the Central Pollution Control Board, red category medium and large air polluting industries, food and food processing units, textile industries operating boilers or thermic fluid heaters, and metal industries with furnaces operating in Delhi NCR has been fixed at 50 mg per normal cubic metre.
The revised standard will not apply to industrial units for which a particulate matter emission limit lower than 50 mg per normal cubic metre has already been prescribed under any applicable consent, direction or statutory provision.
The implementation timeline has also been specified. Large and medium industries must comply with the revised emission standard by August 1, 2026. The remaining targeted industries will be required to meet the standard by October 1, 2026.
Industrial stack emissions are recognised as a significant contributor to elevated particulate matter levels in Delhi NCR. In addition to direct emissions, such pollutants also contribute to the formation of secondary particulates, further deteriorating regional air quality. The Commission noted that the revised standard is expected to significantly reduce industrial emissions, improve air quality in areas surrounding industrial clusters and contribute to broader regional pollution abatement.
Since its inception, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas has introduced a series of targeted interventions to control industrial pollution. These include mandatory transition to cleaner fuels, prescription of emission standards for biomass and other fuel based boilers and furnaces, and issuance of approved fuel lists through various statutory directions.
In the latest direction, the Commission has instructed the respective NCR State Governments, the Government of NCT of Delhi, the Pollution Control Boards of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee to ensure strict implementation of the revised norms. The authorities have been directed to adhere to the prescribed compliance timelines and to undertake intensive information, education and communication activities to sensitise stakeholders and spread awareness about the new standards.
The move is part of ongoing efforts to address air pollution in the National Capital Region through coordinated and enforceable regulatory measures.
