No coal use in Delhi NCR from January 1 2023

Subject: Environment

Section: Pollution

To bring down greenhouse gas emissions in Delhi NCR, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in June issued directions to State governments concerned to phase out usage of coal by December 31, 2022.
It will not only help save 1.7 million tonnes of coal annually, but also reduce pollutants including particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxide (NOx), CO2 and CO.
However, thermal power plants in NCR are allowed to use low-sulfur coal.

Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)

It was established as a statutory body by the government in August 2021 as an overarching body to carry out air quality management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas, Act 2021.
The air quality around Delhi-NCR has been monitored and managed by multiple bodies before the CAQM was established.
The bodies included the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the state pollution control boards, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) of NCR, and the various state governments concerned.
These bodies are further monitored by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and also the Supreme Court.
The Act now consolidates all the bodies in that the CAQM is an overarching body that will take decisions and issue orders for protecting and improving the air quality in Delhi and NCR.
This is to make the management of air quality more efficient and coordinated.
The CAQM has replaced the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) which was appointed by the SC and had been active for 22 years.
Only the National Green Tribunal will have the power to hear cases involving the CAQM, and not the civil courts.

Powers & Functions

The Commission will have the power to take measures, issue directions and entertain complaints “for the purpose of protecting and improving the quality of air in the National Capital Region”.
It will also coordinate action taken by states on air pollution and will lay down parameters for air quality and emission or discharge of environmental pollutants.
It will also have the authority to restrict industries in any area, conduct random inspections of any premises including factories. It may also shut down an industry or cut its water and power supply in case of non-compliance.
CAQM will also be monitoring the actions taken by the states to prevent stubble burning.

CAQM Members

The Commission is chaired by a Chairperson who should be a person with experience of not less than 15 years in the field of environmental protection and pollution control or having administrative experience of not less than 25 years.
The members will also comprise an official from the Environment Ministry; one full-time member who is or has been a joint secretary; five ex-officio members who are either chief secretaries or secretaries from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh; three full-time independent technical members who are experts in air pollution; one full-time member who is or has been a joint secretary; one technical member each from the CPCB and ISRO; one representative of the NITI Aayog; and three members from non-governmental organisations who deal in air pollution.
The commission will also have three members, comprising stakeholders from sectors like industry, agriculture, transport or construction and also representatives of several ministries, including Power, Road Transport & Highways, Housing & Urban Affairs, Petroleum & Natural Gas, Commerce and Industry and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
There will also be representatives of any association from the commerce or industry sector.
The CAQM will have a minimum of three sub-committees namely, monitoring and identification, research and development, and safeguarding and enforcement.