Lucknow/New Delhi: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav reviewed Uttar Pradesh’s ongoing measures to control air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region during a comprehensive meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and senior state government officials in Lucknow.
The meeting focused on accelerating implementation of pollution-control measures ahead of the winter season, when air quality concerns typically intensify across the National Capital Region. Yadav stressed the need for stronger inter-agency coordination, timely execution and strict enforcement of measures to achieve visible improvements in air quality.
According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the review covered road dust, electric mobility, end-of-life vehicles, industrial emissions, construction and demolition waste, municipal solid waste, biomass and stubble burning.
Focus on Road Dust and Road Infrastructure
On road dust management, the Union Minister called for end-to-end paving and greening of roads, including the use of local species of shrubs and grasses. Authorities were asked to give priority to pothole identification and repair, construction of footpaths and pavements, roadside greening and deep cleaning of roads.
The Minister also directed that gaps in the deployment of Mechanical Road Sweeping Machines (MRSMs) be addressed at the earliest. He suggested geo-tagging all MRSMs to enable real-time monitoring of road-cleaning operations and improve accountability.
Push for Electric Mobility
The meeting also reviewed electric mobility across Uttar Pradesh’s NCR areas. Yadav stressed the need to expedite the deployment of electric buses and EV charging stations across NCR municipal corporations, noting gaps in the existing electric bus fleet.
On end-of-life vehicles, the Minister called for faster issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for eligible vehicles being transferred outside the NCR and encouraged scientific scrapping of old and unfit vehicles. He also sought faster replacement of polluting vehicles with electric vehicles under the Parivartan Scheme.
For enforcement of the “No PUCC, No Fuel” initiative, the Minister requested installation of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems at fuel stations. Authorities were also asked to identify traffic congestion hotspots and implement mitigation measures.
Industrial Emissions and Waste Management
Industrial pollution control was another key area of discussion. The Minister emphasized accelerated installation of Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) and Air Pollution Control Devices (APCDs) across industrial units.
For construction and demolition waste, authorities were asked to expedite the establishment of Secondary Collection Centres. The meeting also reviewed municipal solid waste and biomass burning, with the Minister stressing the need for accelerated liquidation of legacy waste.
On stubble burning, the Uttar Pradesh Government was asked to bridge gaps in the procurement of Crop Residue Management (CRM) machinery. The Minister also emphasized farmer training and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaigns to promote effective use of the equipment.
Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Society Approach
Yadav underlined the importance of coordinated institutional action and public participation in addressing air pollution. He called for strict implementation of government advisories, adequate deployment of sanitation workers in proportion to population and greater use of technology and innovation.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Uttar Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (UPSPCB) and the Uttar Pradesh Government.
The review comes with the authorities seeking to utilize the period before winter to implement pollution-control measures across the Uttar Pradesh portion of Delhi-NCR.
Also Read: Ghaziabad Pollution: UPPCB Identifies 9 Hotspots for Winter 2026–27
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