Environment Minister Reviews Air Pollution Mitigation Plans of Gurugram and Faridabad

India’s Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Mr Bhupender Yadav, today chaired a high-level meeting to conduct a detailed review of the action plans of Gurugram and Faridabad to tackle air pollution in these cities in the National Capital Region (NCR).

This was the second meeting in a series of such reviews of City-specific action plans in the NCR, conducted under defined parameters and in the prescribed format, as directed by the Minister during the earlier review meeting on 03 December.

During the meeting, Mr Yadav expressed concern over persistent issues such as legacy waste, traffic congestion, poor condition of rural roads, and violations of building by-laws in peri-urban areas, which are significantly contributing to environmental degradation in the NCR.

He directed officers to conduct extensive field inspections and ensure visible, measurable outcomes in eliminating pollution sources. The Minister emphasised the need to identify pollution hotspots, understand the underlying causes, and implement targeted corrective measures. He also directed that the month-wise action taken reports be submitted by the concerned officers for review at the Ministerial level.

The Minister highlighted the lack of adequate Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste collection sites and processing facilities in Gurugram and Faridabad.

He further instructed the Municipal Commissioners of both cities to prepare integrated action plans to address the long-pending issue of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)/Legacy waste, and to expedite end-to-end paving of roads to curb road dust. He directed authorities to identify and take action against unregistered and deregistered vehicles plying on roads.

Mr Yadav also instructed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) to take strict action against illegal units operating in parts of Faridabad and Nuh that burn waste tyres for oil extraction. Augmentation of Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) stations in both cities was also emphasised.

Mr Yadav emphasised that combating pollution is a shared responsibility and highlighted the critical role of public participation in achieving the mission’s objectives.

He suggested that urban cleanliness campaigns be undertaken in mission mode by forming urban teams through convergence with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and public representatives.

The Minister called for the adoption of technological solutions, capacity building of safai karamcharis, and strengthening of public behavioural change initiatives to encourage mass participation, particularly among youth. He stressed that IEC activities should be tailored to specific target groups and should comply with relevant laws and regulations.

The Minister emphasised the need to further green open spaces in Gurugram and Faridabad. Municipal authorities were directed to partner with the State Forest Department to plant indigenous, heat-resistant, and low-water-requiring shrubs and grasses.

He also instructed authorities to identify traffic-congestion hotspots and implement easily executable short-term measures to reduce vehicular emissions, including removing unnecessary police barricades, eliminating illegal parking, and providing structured parking facilities. Preparation of comprehensive long-term plans to address vehicular pollution was also directed.

Mr Yadav appreciated several best practices, including Faridabad’s ‘Pothole Ambulance Initiative,’ which ensures corrective action on potholes within 72 hours, and suggested replicating it across NCR cities.

Other initiatives discussed included revitalising public parks and open spaces by removing municipal solid waste, adopting Miyawaki plantation techniques, establishing green crematoriums, and reusing treated sewage water to irrigate public plantations.

The Minister noted that nearly 50 per cent of industries delinquent in installing Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) – amounting to 1,151 out of 2,254 units – are in Haryana.

He directed strict enforcement action against the non-compliant units. He also led the identification and rejuvenation of water bodies and parks in Gurugram through CSR activities, with a focus on cleanliness and the upgrading of old bastis.

The meeting was attended by the Chairman, Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM); senior officers of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB); the Chairman (UP SPCB); and District Magistrates and Municipal Commissioners of Gurugram, Faridabad, and Manesar.