CAQM's 28th Full Commission Meeting Reviews Key Agenda Items on Prevention and Control of Air Pollution in Delhi-NCR

📌 Summary:

• 28th Full Commission meeting of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in Delhi-NCR held on 15 May 2026 under Chairman Shri Rajesh Verma
• Draft Direction No. 99 (under Section 12 of the CAQM Act, 2021) approved — Action Plan for prevention and control of paddy stubble burning in 2026, targeting complete elimination of paddy stubble burning in the NCR States
• State Governments have prepared and updated State-specific Action Plans for the paddy harvest season 2026, aligned with the broad framework provided by CAQM
• Mandate for EV-only registration of L5 category 3-wheelers (passenger and goods) in Delhi-NCR — phased rollout:
  • Delhi: w.e.f. 01.01.2027
  • High Vehicle Density (HVD) districts — Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar: w.e.f. 01.01.2028
  • Remaining districts of NCR: w.e.f. 01.01.2029
• Decision based on recent Air Quality Experts Report identifying vehicular sector as a major contributor to PM2.5 emissions in Delhi-NCR
• Expert Committee constituted by CAQM in December 2025 had given interim report recommending EV transition for 3-wheelers
• Draft Direction No. 101 also issued — imposes restrictions on fuelling of vehicles without valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) Certificate

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 — Environment (air pollution control, sustainable mobility, EV transition); Renewable Energy / clean mobility regulation.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• CAQM = Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR & Adjoining Areas (a statutory body)
• CAQM Act, 2021 — established CAQM and dissolved the earlier Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA)
• Section 12 of the CAQM Act = empowers the Commission to issue binding directions
• L5 category = 3-wheelers (passenger and goods, under the AIS-053 classification)
• PUC Certificate = Pollution Under Control Certificate, mandatory under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), 1989
• HVD districts (Delhi-NCR): Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar

🔑 Key Term: Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) — A statutory body constituted under the CAQM Act, 2021, with executive powers to issue binding directions for prevention and control of air pollution in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh; supersedes orders of State governments and pollution control boards in case of conflict.