Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav today held a high-level meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to review measures for improving air quality in eight NCR-linked districts of the state. These include Noida, Hapur, Ghaziabad, Meerut and Bulandshahr.

 

Talking to media after the meeting, the Environment Minister said, the meeting discussed action plans to curb vehicular pollution, including measures concerning old vehicles, the new EV policy, electric buses, mandatory pollution certificates and aggregator vehicles. On industrial pollution, officials said nearly 80 percent of industries have installed Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems and air pollution control devices.

 

Efforts are underway to cover the remaining industries. Mr Yadav said, the meeting also reviewed measures to control dust pollution through mechanised and deep cleaning and discussed the effective implementation of the Solid Waste Management Rules and Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules.

 

The Union Minister said coordinated efforts are being strengthened with neighbouring states. He said meetings have already been held with the Chief Ministers of Haryana and Delhi, while consultations with Rajasthan and Punjab are also planned. Coordination with states on stubble management is also underway.

 

More than 30 meetings have been held since December last year to strengthen air pollution control measures in the NCR, with emphasis on coordination among local bodies, public representatives and other stakeholders.