Examine whether the Commission for Air Quality Management has resolved the problem of multiplicity of authorities in NCR air-quality governance.

Air quality in NCR was once handled by EPCA, CPCB, four State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) or committees, and several state governments, with no single authority able to settle conflicts between them. The CAQM Act, 2021 (Act 29 of 2021) replaced this arrangement with one statutory commission [1]. CAQM has largely solved the problem of who gives directions. It has not yet solved the problem of who carries them out.

Where CAQM has reduced multiplicity

• One apex body: the law dissolved EPCA. CAQM's directions prevail over those of CPCB, the SPCBs and state governments [2]. It has exclusive jurisdiction over matters under the Act [1].
• Regional reach: its jurisdiction covers adjoining areas of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and UP where NCR air is affected, so it is not limited to NCR's borders [1].
• Uniform norms: Direction No. 98 set a single PM limit of 50 mg/Nm³ for specified industries across NCR [3]. The PTZ-camera Order set one deadline, 30.11.2026, for all these units [4].
• Its own enforcement arm: CAQM's Flying Squads inspect units directly. In Hapur, 16 of 22 units were found non-compliant [5].

Where multiplicity persists

• Layered implementation: under the PTZ Order, CAQM issues the direction, CPCB builds the servers, the SPCBs/DPCC monitor compliance, and four governments implement it [4]. Any one weak link in this chain can stall enforcement.
• Capacity lies with the States: about 50% of Pollution Control Board posts are vacant. The Centre told Parliament that filling them is the States' responsibility [6]. CAQM has the authority to command but has no staff of its own on the ground.
• Fragmentation is officially recognised: the Parliamentary Standing Committee (Dec 2025) called the response fragmented. It recommended clearly identifying the agency responsible for each measure and enforcing at the airshed level [7].
• Boundary gaps: the PTZ Order names only Haryana, UP, Rajasthan and GNCTD [4]. Units just outside NCR share the same airshed but face weaker scrutiny [7].

CAQM has therefore settled the question of who has the authority, but the work of enforcement is still divided among many agencies. Three steps would close the remaining gap:

• an agency-wise accountability matrix;
• airshed-wide coverage;
• time-bound filling of State board posts [6][7].

These steps reflect cooperative federalism and would help secure the Article 21 right to clean air and SDG 11.6, so that "one commission" also means one chain of accountability.