New Delhi 19 December :- Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, chaired the fourth high-level review meeting to address the deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR, directing authorities to ensure a visible improvement within one week. Accompanied by Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh, Yadav announced that starting January 2026, ministerial-level reviews of state action plans will be conducted monthly to ensure sustained momentum and inter-state coordination.
The Minister issued comprehensive directives to the governments of Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, focusing on the management of 62 traffic congestion hotspots, the promotion of EV/CNG transport for corporates, and the implementation of staggered office timings to reduce peak-hour emissions. Specific orders were given to fast-track Integrated Smart Traffic Management Systems in Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Noida, while mandating the removal of road encroachments within ten days. To tackle dust and waste, the meeting emphasized the strict enforcement of construction bans, GPS-tracked mechanical road sweeping, and the sealing of illegal polluting units like tyre-burning facilities.
Furthermore, Haryana was directed to optimize crop residue management through pelletisation and bio-gas plants, while the CAQM was advised to restrict demolition activities to areas with accessible waste sub-centers. By integrating long-term infrastructure goals—such as a target of 11 lakh saplings for World Environment Day 2026 and improved NHAI toll sensor systems—with immediate enforcement against defaulters, the Ministry aims to systematically resolve the region’s persistent pollution crisis without causing undue public inconvenience.
