Delhi’s air pollution crisis has once again taken center stage as the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) issued one of its strongest statements in recent months, expressing deep concern over “serious deficiencies,” “wide gaps,” and “non-compliance” by pollution control agencies across Delhi and surrounding NCR States. With air quality slipping into the ‘severe’ and ‘severe+’ categories, the CAQM highlighted poor enforcement of pollution control norms under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), specifically GRAP-III and GRAP-IV.
This article explores the systemic problems highlighted by the CAQM, the administrative failures across the NCR, the implications for public health, and the structural issues behind Delhi’s annually recurring pollution emergency.
Understanding the Context: Delhi’s ‘Severe’ Air Quality Phase
Delhi-NCR experiences some of the world’s worst winter pollution levels. On January 17, air quality plunged to ‘severe’ levels, prompting the CAQM to enforce GRAP-IV, the most stringent emergency tier. Measures under GRAP-IV include:
- Ban on entry of trucks except those carrying essentials
- Shutdown of construction and demolition (C&D) activities
- Closure of stone crushers, mining, and polluting industries
- Shutdown of brick kilns and hot mix plants
- Mandatory online classes or hybrid mode for schools
- Enhanced frequency of mechanised road sweeping
Despite these drastic measures, the CAQM revealed widespread non-compliance that undermined the effectiveness of the emergency action plan.
CAQM’s Key Findings: A Breakdown of Systemic Failures
The CAQM report presents alarming statistics indicating a collapse in basic enforcement.
1. Mechanical Road Sweeping Deficiencies
Mechanical sweeping is a core part of pollution control, removing road dust — a major PM2.5 contributor. However, the CAQM found:
- Machines underutilized
- Routes not followed
- Gaps ranging from 7% to 70% in coverage
This shows that even basic, low-cost preventive actions are not being implemented diligently.
2. Poor Monitoring of Construction and Demolition (C&D) Sites
C&D activities are among the biggest winter pollution triggers.
The NCR States were supposed to inspect all C&D sites larger than 500 sq. m during GRAP-III. Actual performance:
- Delhi missed target by 87%
- Haryana by 99.6%
- Rajasthan by 84%
- Uttar Pradesh by 96%
These numbers indicate near-total administrative paralysis.
3. High Pendency of Complaints
The CAQM noted pendency rates between 47% and 100% in citizen complaints logged via:
- Social media
- Grievance portals
- Air pollution helplines
High pendency shows weak accountability in responding to pollution violations.
4. Failure to Enforce GRAP III & IV Measures on Ground
Even when emergency phases are declared, there is little execution:
- Open burning continues in several NCR zones
- Industrial units in “restricted sectors” keep running
- Uncovered building materials remain on roads
- Dust pollution checks are rare or superficial
- Traffic police struggle with manpower shortages
The gap between “orders issued” and “actions taken” remains wide.
Why Is Enforcement So Poor?
The CAQM report indirectly points to structural and governance issues:
1. Lack of Coordination Among NCR States
Delhi, Haryana, UP, and Rajasthan have different enforcement cultures. Pollution does not respect borders, but enforcement still does.
2. Chronic Understaffing
Local bodies, especially municipal corporations, face:
- Staff shortages
- Inadequate enforcement teams
- Insufficient night patrol units
This makes large-scale compliance nearly impossible.
3. Poor Use of Technology
While the government claims to use drones, sensors, and centralized dashboards:
- Actual integration is weak
- Real-time monitoring is patchy
- Ground verification is inconsistent
Digital tools remain underutilized.
4. Political Pressure and Governance Delays
Pollution enforcement often clashes with:
- Construction industry interests
- Local economic needs
- Political sensitivities before elections
Many officials hesitate to issue fines or closures.
Impact on Public Health: A Silent Emergency
During severe pollution episodes:
- Schools shift to hybrid mode
- Asthma cases rise sharply
- Hospitals report increase in respiratory distress
- Vulnerable groups—children, elderly, pregnant women—face serious risks
The CAQM warns that prolonged ‘severe’ air quality days cause both short-term irritation and long-term irreversible damage, including:
- Reduced lung function in children
- Increased risk of heart disease
- Cognitive decline in older adults
- Higher cancer risk
Delhi’s pollution crisis has thus moved from being an environmental issue to a public health disaster.
CAQM’s Direction to Governments
After reviewing the failures, the CAQM directed Delhi and neighbouring States to:
- Take immediate disciplinary action against negligent officers
- Deploy enforcement teams in vulnerable hotspots
- Increase night inspections
- Strengthen complaint redressal within 24 hours
- Submit daily action reports with proof
- Improve mechanical sweeping coverage
This marks one of the sharpest criticisms issued by the commission in recent months.
Why Pollution Persists Every Winter
Even with multi-agency mechanisms like:
- DPCC (Delhi Pollution Control Committee)
- CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board)
- Municipal corporations
- Traffic police
- State pollution control boards
The root causes remain unresolved.
Key factors include:
1. Meteorological Conditions
Winter inversion traps pollutants.
2. Vehicular Growth
Delhi now has over 1.3 crore vehicles (estimated).
3. Industrial Clusters
The NCR has thousands of small polluting factories that are difficult to regulate.
4. Dust from Construction
Massive infrastructure projects continue year-round.
5. Biomass and Waste Burning
Despite bans, enforcement remains weak.
The Way Forward: Structural Reforms Needed
Experts suggest:
- Unified NCR pollution police force
- Mandatory automation of C&D compliance
- One central command centre for real-time enforcement
- Drone-based surveillance of hotspots
- Heavier penalties for persistent offenders
- Seasonal ban on non-essential construction
Without such reforms, winter pollution will continue to repeat annually.
Conclusion
The CAQM’s latest findings are a reminder that Delhi’s pollution crisis is less about missing rules and more about missing enforcement. Systemic gaps, administrative inertia, and lack of coordination are crippling even well-designed policies like GRAP.
Unless governments act decisively and enforce measures rigorously, Delhi-NCR will continue to face a cyclical public health emergency every winter.