Delhi’s air quality crisis has prompted the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to crack down on industrial polluters in the NCR. New legal orders cap particulate matter (PM) emissions at 50 mg per cubic meter for identified industrial units, a targeted assault on the toxic fumes fueling the region’s notorious smog.
Industrial stacks have long been fingered as major contributors to PM spikes, generating not just primary pollutants but also precursors to more dangerous secondary particles. Drawing from its playbook of prior actions—like enforcing clean fuel adoption and emission standards for boilers—the CAQM is now doubling down with enforceable limits.
IIT Kanpur’s research and CPCB expert advice affirm that 50 mg/m³ is achievable with current technology, promising a sharp drop in ambient pollution. This will particularly safeguard vulnerable communities near industrial zones from asthma, bronchitis, and other pollution-linked ailments.
Affected sectors span food and beverage processing, textile operations relying on thermal equipment, and metalworking furnaces. Units under tighter existing regulations remain unaffected. To ease the transition, bigger players comply from August 1, smaller ones by October 1.
Enforcement falls to state authorities and pollution boards, who must monitor compliance, educate stakeholders, and launch media drives. Beyond immediate relief, this initiative lays groundwork for enduring cleaner air, underscoring that industrial growth need not come at the expense of public health in India’s heartland.