The fight against Delhi-NCR’s toxic air intensifies with the CAQM’s latest directive: all key industries must limit PM emissions to 50 mg/m³. This legally binding order aims to dismantle the industrial pollution backbone that’s making the capital’s skies a health hazard.
Why this matters: Factory emissions don’t just spew dust—they catalyze secondary PM formation, amplifying winter smog episodes. The CAQM builds on past successes, including clean fuel mandates and boiler emission norms, to enforce this pivotal cap.
Scientific backing from IIT Kanpur and CPCB panels confirms the target’s viability, forecasting substantial pollution cuts and healthier environs for residents. Picture fewer hospital visits for lung issues in factory-adjacent neighborhoods.
High-impact categories include food processors, boiler-equipped textiles, and kiln-heavy metal industries—unless already held to lower standards. Rollout is phased: majors by August 1, others by October 1, with states and boards driving implementation through inspections and awareness blitzes.
This policy pivot promises more than compliance; it’s a blueprint for sustained air quality gains, balancing economic vitality with livable cities. As enforcement ramps up, Delhi-NCR edges closer to breathable air.