New Delhi, Dec 15: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting to conduct a comprehensive review of the air pollution action plans of Ghaziabad and Noida, two major urban centres in the National Capital Region.

The meeting marked the first in a planned series of city-specific reviews across the NCR, which will culminate in a state-level assessment in the coming days.

Senior officials from both cities made detailed presentations outlining the steps taken so far to address deteriorating air quality. The review focused on a wide range of parameters, including the adoption of smart traffic management systems to curb vehicular emissions, compliance of industrial units with prescribed pollution norms, and progress in transitioning commercial fleets to electric vehicles along with the availability of charging infrastructure.

The discussions also examined efforts to strengthen public transport systems, improve parking facilities, manage construction and demolition waste, and address municipal solid and legacy waste. Measures such as end-to-end paving of roads to reduce dust, deployment of mechanical road sweeping machines, use of anti-smog guns and water sprinklers, greening of open spaces, and citizen participation through awareness campaigns and grievance redressal mechanisms were also reviewed.

The Minister sought an update from the Central Pollution Control Board on the installation of Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems in remaining industrial units. He reiterated the importance of meeting the December 31, 2025 deadline for installation and directed that strict action be taken against non-compliant industries. Pollution control boards were also asked to inspect polluting units in peri-urban areas and ensure corrective measures.

Yadav urged the Commission for Air Quality Management in Delhi-NCR to refine the parameters used to evaluate city action plans and compile them for a region-wide review.

He highlighted the need to upgrade National Clean Air Programme benchmarks to ensure rational allocation of funds to better-performing cities. 

He also suggested collaboration with forest departments for plantation of indigenous, climate-resilient species and stressed the need for integrated waste management plans and standard operating procedures for greening urban open spaces.