The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has asked civic bodies and state agencies across the National Capital Region (NCR) to urgently step up municipal solid waste management, citing continued open burning of waste, delays in clearing legacy dumps, and weak enforcement.
The directions followed a comprehensive review of waste management systems in Delhi and NCR states, carried out through a series of meetings with state governments, municipal authorities and pollution control boards. The commission said waste management remains a critical concern due to its direct impact on air quality.
In Delhi, the CAQM noted that incidents of open burning of municipal solid waste and biomass continue despite the availability of adequate infrastructure. It directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to complete the remediation of 143.09 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste by December 2027, at an average processing rate of about 3.5 lakh metric tonnes per month, and to submit monthly progress reports.
The commission also ordered the immediate expansion of waste-processing capacity without extending existing timelines. It called for tighter surveillance of garbage-prone locations, spill-free transportation of waste and intensified door-to-door segregation drives.
Bulk waste generators in Delhi have been instructed to ensure on-site processing of wet waste within a month, while the implementation of zero-waste colonies is to be fast-tracked. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee has been tasked with stricter monitoring of waste-to-energy plants, fly ash disposal, verification of municipal data and submission of monthly compliance reports to the CAQM.
In Haryana, the commission flagged major delays in legacy waste remediation and the creation of processing infrastructure, particularly in Gurugram, Faridabad and Sonipat. Gurugram’s municipal corporation has been directed to complete tendering for the remediation of 14 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste by January 20, 2026, and begin biomining by March 31, 2026. Faridabad has been asked to identify land for decentralised processing facilities within two months and make them operational by April 2026.
For NCR districts in Uttar Pradesh, the CAQM observed delays in legacy waste remediation, inconsistent waste segregation and coordination gaps among agencies. Authorities in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad have been told to adhere to committed timelines for remediation and not seek further extensions for commissioning processing facilities.
In Rajasthan’s NCR districts—Bharatpur, Alwar and Bhiwadi—the commission found progress on waste remediation and segregation to be inadequate. Urban local bodies have been directed to complete remediation within prescribed timelines and strengthen segregation, surveillance and grievance redress mechanisms.
The CAQM said it will closely monitor compliance, conduct follow-up reviews and initiate action wherever necessary.
