Delhi's winter air pollution plan for 2026-27, presented on 28 September, puts more weight on industrial emissions: 2,354 targeted industries must install and connect online continuous emission monitoring systems (OCEMS), and those that need extra controls must fit or upgrade air pollution control devices (APCDs).

Of the targeted industries, 2,197, about 97.3 percent, have installed OCEMS, which send data to the Central Pollution Control Board, and 57 that failed to do so have been closed until they comply, officials said. The Commission for Air Quality Management has cut the particulate matter norm for these industries from 80 to 50 milligrams per normal cubic metre from 1 October.

The targeted group, identified with IIT Kanpur, covers 17 highly polluting categories plus textiles, food processing and metals. Research by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water attributes 21 to 38 percent of India's air pollution to industry. Around 550 APCD work orders are at various stages of installation, and vendors are being empanelled with the National Productivity Council.

Photo: Saurabh Kumar / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Source: Down To Earth