CAQM issues comprehensive Statutory Direction regarding implementation of Action Plans for Elimination of Wheat Stubble Burning in 2026

• CAQM — statutory body for air quality in NCR & adjoining areas — issued a comprehensive Statutory Direction (Direction No. 96) on 16 February 2026 mandating coordinated, time-bound implementation of State Action Plans to eliminate wheat stubble burning in the 2026 rabi harvesting season.
• Directed to Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, with complementary roles for GNCTD and Rajasthan.
• Important for UPSC: links air pollution governance, cooperative federalism, agri-residue management, and the CAQM Act, 2021.