Centre cracks down on 191 polluting industries as Delhi-NCR battles toxic air

With Delhi-NCR choking on 'very poor' air quality, the Centre has ordered the immediate closure of 191 polluting industries that failed to install pollution-control equipment. It has also set a December 31 deadline for a major traffic overhaul in the national capital.Hazy weather conditions seen in Delhi as air quality remains in the 'very poor' category on Saturday. (PTI photo)New Delhi,Nov 14, 2026 15:57 ISTThe Centre has directed the immediate closure of 191 polluting industries in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) for repeatedly failing to take steps to install air pollution control equipment, as it stepped up efforts to tackle worsening air quality ahead of winter.Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav issued the directions during a review meeting on Saturday with officials from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, asking the states to move beyond planning and ensure strict, time-bound action on the ground.The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has been directed to seal the 191 industries that had failed to even place orders for installing air pollution control devices (APCDs), despite repeated instructions.The minister also directed authorities to take immediate action at 233 identified traffic congestion hotspots across the NCR and install modern multi-lane free-flow traffic systems at 154 entry points into Delhi by December 31, 2026. Bhupender Yadav stressed that air pollution does not recognise state boundaries and requires a coordinated approach across the entire NCR."NCR states must move beyond planning and ensure strict, time-bound and coordinated action on the ground," he said. According to the ministry, of the 2,345 targeted industries in the NCR, 2,298 have been connected to Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS), accounting for nearly 98 per cent of the target. The remaining 47 industries have either been shut down or sealed.The minister also directed authorities to strictly enforce the particulate matter emission limit of 50 mg/Nm for industrial units.ROAD DUST, WASTE MANAGEMENT UNDER FOCUSRoad dust was another major area of concern during the review meeting. Against a target of redeveloping 5,480 km of roads across the NCR, work has been completed on only 3,221 km so far.Bhupender Yadav directed officials to speed up the remaining work, repair potholes and footpaths, and ensure that mechanical road-sweeping machines operate in two shifts to minimise dust pollution.Municipal bodies were also asked to address a shortfall of 6,747 tonnes per day in solid waste processing capacity. The minister called for expediting the removal of legacy waste at the Okhla, Ghazipur, Bhalswa and Bandhwari landfill sites. Authorities were also instructed to carry out physical inspections of more than 3,000 construction sites to check compliance with dust-control measures.On the transport front, the Centre stressed accelerating the PARIVARTAN scheme to replace old trucks and buses with BS-VI-compliant, CNG and electric vehicles by 2028.The Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), launched in Delhi on October 5, 2026, and the Commission for Air Quality Management's (CAQM) PAVAN platform will also be used to strengthen pollution monitoring and enforcement.DELHI’S AIR QUALITY REMAINS VERY POORThe Centre's directions come as Delhi continues to grapple with poor air quality, with pollution levels remaining in the 'very poor' category.The national capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 348 at 9 am on Saturday, according to Central Pollution Control Board data. This was marginally lower than Friday's 24-hour average AQI of 373, recorded at 4 pm.However, seven of the city's 59 air quality monitoring stations reported 'severe' pollution levels on Saturday morning. Forecasts by the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi indicated that air quality could deteriorate further over the next few days.Under the CPCB classification, an AQI between 301 and 400 falls in the 'very poor' category, while readings above 400 are classified as 'severe'.VEHICULAR EMISSIONS EMERGE AS MAJOR POLLUTION SOURCEVehicular emissions are expected to remain among the biggest contributors to Delhi's pollution over the coming days, according to forecasts released by the Decision Support System (DSS) for Delhi.The transport sector was estimated to account for 16 per cent of the city's pollution load on Thursday. Its contribution was projected to rise to 18.5 per cent on Friday and 20.5 per cent on Saturday, as per a report by PTI.Meanwhile, the contribution of stubble burning was forecast to fluctuate, accounting for 8.9 per cent on Thursday, declining to 5.3 per cent on Friday before rising to 13.29 per cent on Saturday.Source-apportionment estimates by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) showed that secondary organic aerosols were the biggest contributor to Delhi's pollution on Wednesday, accounting for 22.7 per cent of the pollution load. Domestic solid biofuel burning followed closely at 22.3 per cent, while vehicular emissions contributed 19.3 per cent.Experts have linked secondary organic aerosols to several sources, including industrial activity, diesel and petrol vehicles, and biomass burning.The contribution of firecrackers, which had surged after Diwali, also declined sharply. They accounted for 71.1 per cent of Delhi's pollution load on Monday and 29.8 per cent on Tuesday, before falling to 7.4 per cent on Wednesday.The Centre said regular inspections, the use of technology and better coordination among NCR states would be crucial to ensuring that pollution-control measures translate into visible improvements in air quality.- Ends