Massive enforcement inspection conducted in Nuh, Haryana; 105 units/sites inspected by CAQM

1. At a Glance

• Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) carried out a large-scale enforcement inspection of 105 units/sites in Nuh district, Haryana on 02.01.2026 using 10 flying squads [1].
• Part of a winter-season NCR-wide enforcement drive to police compliance with statutory directions on industries, DG sets, C&D sites, road dust and biomass burning [2].
• Important for UPSC as a live case of executive federalism + environmental governance under the CAQM Act, 2021 [3][4].

2. Why in the News

• On 2 January 2026, CAQM's flying squads inspected 105 units/sites across both conforming and non-conforming industrial areas of Nuh, Haryana — the operation was led by District Administration (DCs/duty magistrates) with Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) and police support [1].
• This was part of a 16-day NCR-wide enforcement drive that CAQM reviewed in early January 2026 [2].

3. Background & Evolution

• 1998: Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) set up for NCR under SC directions [3].
• Oct 2020: Ordinance route used to constitute CAQM (later lapsed) [3].
• 13 Apr 2021: CAQM Act, 2021 (Act No. 29 of 2021) enacted; EPCA dissolved [3][4].
• CAQM has since issued statutory directions, GRAP revisions, and conducted recurring flying-squad enforcement; Operation Clean Air drives have already covered Sonipat and other NCR districts [2].

4. Core Static Facts

• Parent Ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) [1].
• Statutory base: Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021 [3][4].
• Jurisdiction: NCR + adjoining areas of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (in addition to Delhi) [3].
• Composition powers: Coordination of state action, issuing binding directions, restricting polluting activities, R&D, training [3].
• Supersedes: EPCA (1998) — explicitly dissolved by the Act [3].
• Nuh operation specifics: 105 units/sites, 10 flying squad teams, both conforming and non-conforming industrial belts, joint inspection with HSPCB and district magistrates [1].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

• Legal / Constitutional
• CAQM directions are binding on persons/entities; non-compliance attracts penalties under the 2021 Act [3].

• Act overrides Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to the extent of inconsistency in NCR matters [3].

• Administrative / Federal

• Use of district administration + HSPCB + police shows Centre-State-District convergence; flying squads are Centre-deployed but execution leans on state machinery [1].

• Environmental

• Nuh has both conforming and non-conforming industrial clusters; non-conforming units are a key NCR pollution source the Commission targets through inspections [1][2].

• Governance

• Replaces ad-hoc, judiciary-driven EPCA model with a permanent statutory regulator with enforcement teeth [3].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 02 Jan 2026 — Nuh inspection: 105 units, 10 flying squads [1].
• Early Jan 2026 — CAQM reviewed a 16-day NCR enforcement drive covering industries, DG sets, C&D sites, road dust, biomass burning [2].
• 2025 — Operation Clean Air enforcement inspections in Sonipat and other Haryana districts [2].
• 2024 — Flying squads deployed to monitor paddy stubble burning in Haryana and Punjab [2].

7. Prelims Hooks

• CAQM constituted under the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021 (Act 29 of 2021) [3][4].
• CAQM is under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, not MoHUA or MoHFW [1].
• The Act dissolved EPCA, which was set up in 1998 [3].
• CAQM jurisdiction includes Delhi + adjoining areas of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and UP [3].
• 10 flying squads inspected 105 units/sites in Nuh on 02.01.2026 [1].
• Inspection conducted in both conforming and non-conforming industrial areas [1].
• HSPCB = Haryana State Pollution Control Board, the state implementing agency partnered with CAQM [1].
• CAQM's directions are statutorily binding; violations can attract imprisonment/fines under the 2021 Act [3].
• CAQM replaced an authority created by Supreme Court direction (EPCA) [3].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-III: Environment — Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation.
• GS-II: Governance — Statutory bodies; Centre-State coordination; role of regulatory institutions.
• Probable stems:
• "The CAQM Act, 2021 marks a shift from judicial activism to executive regulation of NCR air pollution. Discuss."
• "Examine the effectiveness of inspection-based enforcement, such as the Nuh operation of January 2026, in tackling industrial air pollution in NCR."
• "Cooperative federalism is indispensable for airshed management. Comment with reference to CAQM."

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) — CAQM's main winter tool.
• National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), 2019 — MoEFCC parallel scheme.
• Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 — base statute.
• CPCB & SPCBs — institutional architecture CAQM rides on.
• Stubble burning in Punjab/Haryana — seasonal trigger.
• EPCA (1998–2021) — predecessor; SC-mandated body.
• Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 — umbrella legislation.
• Airshed approach vs city-based pollution control — policy debate.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• CAQM is statutory (Act of Parliament), not a Supreme Court body or an executive notification.
• CAQM ≠ CPCB; CPCB is older (1974, Water Act) and pan-India.
• CAQM jurisdiction is NCR + adjoining areas, not all of India.
• The Act dissolved EPCA; aspirants often still list EPCA as active.
• Implementing ministry is MoEFCC, not Ministry of Earth Sciences or MoHUA.
• Nuh is in Haryana, falls within NCR — sometimes confused with Mewat (Nuh was renamed from Mewat in 2016).