CAQM criticises civic agencies over poor waste management

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has pulled up civic agencies in Delhi over persistent incidents of municipal solid waste and biomass burning, despite the availability of infrastructure.

The CAQM has ordered strict timelines to plug gaps in enforcement, segregation and monitoring. The commission said poor waste management remains a major contributor to winter air pollution in the National Capital Region.

After a series of review meetings with Delhi and NCR states, CAQM directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to complete remediation of 143.09 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste by December 2027. It has fixed a processing target of around 3.5 lakh metric tonnes per month and asked MCD to submit monthly progress reports without fail.

The commission also ordered immediate augmentation of waste processing facilities in Delhi, making it clear that no extension of timelines will be allowed.

It flagged repeated cases of open burning of municipal waste and biomass, calling them a serious enforcement failure.

CAQM asked civic bodies to step up surveillance at garbage-vulnerable points and ensure spill-free transportation of waste across the city. Door-to-door segregation must be intensified through information, education and communication drives, it said. Bulk waste generators have been told to process wet waste at source within one month.

The commission also pushed for the faster rollout of 100 per cent Zero Waste Colonies in Delhi. It directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to strictly monitor waste-to-energy plants, fly ash disposal and emissions, and to verify municipal data before submitting monthly compliance reports to CAQM.

Officials said the directions aim to cut pollution at the source by preventing waste from being burnt on streets, landfill edges and open plots, a practice that spikes during winter. After laying down directions for Delhi, the commission turned to other NCR states, flagging similar gaps but varying levels of delay.

In Haryana, CAQM noted a serious lag in legacy waste remediation and processing capacity, especially in Gurugram, Faridabad and Sonipat. The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram has been asked to complete tendering for the remediation of 14 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste by January 20, 2026, and start biomining by March 31, 2026.

Faridabad Municipal Corporation has been told to identify land for decentralised processing facilities within two months and make them operational by April 2026.

Urban local bodies have been asked to strictly enforce wet waste processing by bulk generators and speed up the creation of Zero Waste Colonies. Surveillance at vulnerable points and better field arrangements to prevent burning were also ordered. The Haryana State Pollution Control Board will act as the nodal agency for data validation and reporting.

In Uttar Pradesh’s NCR districts, CAQM flagged delays in legacy waste remediation, uneven segregation and coordination gaps.

The Noida Authority, Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority and Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam have been directed to stick to committed timelines and not seek further extensions for waste processing facilities.

The commission mandated spill-free waste transport, identification of dumping- and burning-prone transit points, and 100% end-to-end segregation across wards. It also ordered strict prevention of horticulture waste burning and faster redressal of public complaints. The UP-Pollution Control Board has been asked to resolve jurisdiction issues and ensure coordinated reporting.

In Rajasthan’s NCR towns of Bharatpur, Alwar and Bhiwadi, CAQM found progress on waste remediation and segregation to be inadequate. Urban local bodies have been ordered to complete legacy waste cleanup within committed timelines and submit monthly, target-based action plans. The commission stressed no further extensions for processing facilities and called for stronger field monitoring and enforcement.