CAQM Identifies 29 Pollution-Control Violations in Sonipat Enforcement Drive
Media Report, Sonipat:
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) found 29 violations of pollution-control norms—five of them at construction and demolition (C&D) sites—during a large-scale enforcement operation in Sonipat, Haryana, on Friday, according to an official release.

As part of intensified winter monitoring, twenty flying squad teams were deployed on November 21 across both conforming and non-conforming industrial zones, as well as various C&D sites in the district, the Union Environment Ministry stated.

The enforcement activity was conducted with full support from the district administration, including deputy commissioners, duty magistrates, and police teams, to ensure smooth functioning of the drive.

Out of the 101 sites inspected, 55 were located in non-conforming zones where 21 violations were detected, including two related to C&D activities. In the conforming industrial areas, 46 facilities were checked and eight violations were reported, three of which involved improper handling of construction waste.

Major violations highlighted during the inspections included the use of unauthorized fuels, lack of or faulty Air Pollution Control Devices (APCDs)—with nearly 20 units operating without functional APCDs—operations running without valid Consent to Operate from the pollution control board, and non-compliance with C&D waste management norms.

According to the commission, these inspections are vital for reducing non-compliance and minimizing emissions at their source. The purpose of the enforcement drive is to ensure that industries and C&D sites follow the prescribed environmental guidelines and do not contribute to worsening air quality.

The Sonipat inspection is part of CAQM’s Operation Clean Air initiative and comes amid heightened monitoring in Delhi-NCR under the ongoing Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).