Discuss the role and statutory powers of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in addressing municipal solid waste burning as a source of air pollution in the NCR.

Q. Discuss the role and statutory powers of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in addressing municipal solid waste burning as a source of air pollution in the NCR. (15 marks, 250 words)

Landfill fires and open burning of municipal solid waste (MSW) release PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2 and dioxins — a key driver of the NCR's winter air-quality crisis. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body under the CAQM Act, 2021, has emerged as the apex enforcer against this source [2].

Statutory powers - Binding directions: Under Section 12 of the CAQM Act, 2021, CAQM issues legally enforceable directions across all NCR states — Delhi, Haryana, UP, Rajasthan — overriding fragmented state jurisdiction [2]. - Direction No. 91 (June 2025): specifically targets fire incidents at Sanitary Landfill (SLF)/dumpsites and open MSW/biomass burning [2]. - Penal teeth: non-compliance attracts penal action under the Act; quarterly compliance reports mandated from State Pollution Control Boards and DPCC [2].

Role in curbing MSW burning - Mandates bio-mining/bio-remediation of legacy waste at dumpsites like Bhalswa, Ghazipur and Okhla [1][2]. - Directs tech-enabled monitoring — CCTV cameras, boundary fencing and methane gas detectors to flag combustion-prone zones [2]. - Enforces fire-prevention drills and firefighting readiness at landfills, complementing the SWM Rules, 2026 compliance chain (local body → District Magistrate → SPCB) [1].

Limitations - Only 4 of 7 identified NCR legacy dumpsites remediated; deadlines repeatedly slip, exposing federal implementation lag [1].

By fusing air-quality enforcement with waste-management reform, CAQM offers an integrated model. Strengthening local-body capacity and time-bound remediation, aligned with SDG-11 (sustainable cities), can convert its statutory mandate into cleaner NCR air.

(~250 words)

Sources: 1. PARLIAMENT QUESTION: Effective Management of Landfills in Delhi-NCR / SWM Rules, 2026 (PIB, MoEFCC) — SWM Rules 2026, legacy dumpsite remediation status (4/7), compliance chain 2. CAQM issues Statutory Directions on MSW burning and fires at Sanitary Landfill sites (PIB, 3 June 2025) — Section 12 powers, Direction No. 91, CCTV/methane detectors, penal action