The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) has strengthened the mechanism for remote monitoring of air-polluting industries in the National Capital Region (NCR) by extending the requirement for installation and operationalization of Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) cameras to all categories of industries covered under Statutory Direction No. 98. This will expand the scope of technology-enabled monitoring of fuel usage, industrial emissions and compliance with prescribed pollution-control measures. The Order supersedes the Commission’s earlier Order dated 05.10.2026.

The Commission has directed that all 17 categories of highly polluting industries identified by CPCB, Red Category (Medium and Large) air-polluting industries, Food & Food Processing and Textile industries having boilers/ thermic fluid heaters, and Metal industries having furnaces, operating in NCR, shall ensure compliance with the following requirements:

(i) Installation and positioning of PTZ cameras

• PTZ cameras shall be installed at all fuel-feeding/charging points of boilers, thermic fluid heaters, furnaces, kilns and other fuel-fired industrial equipment, as applicable, to facilitate monitoring of fuel usage during operations.
• In industrial units using gaseous fuels, PTZ cameras shall be suitably positioned to capture the gas meters/gauges and associated metering arrangements, ensuring adequate visibility for monitoring purposes.
• Industrial units shall ensure installation of PTZ cameras for monitoring stack emissions and OCEMS sampling/port-hole locations.
• Industrial units shall also ensure installation of PTZ cameras for monitoring fume extraction system areas, wherever applicable.
• The number, location and field of view of the cameras shall be adequate to cover the relevant areas and operations effectively, without significant blind spots. Where a single camera cannot adequately cover the prescribed locations, additional cameras shall be installed.

(ii) Real-time video monitoring and connectivity

• All PTZ cameras installed pursuant to the Order shall be provided with facilities for continuous, real-time transmission of video feeds through Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) to the designated servers/portals of CPCB and the respective SPCBs/DPCC.
• Industrial units shall ensure that the cameras and associated communication systems remain functional and that video feeds are accessible to the concerned regulatory authorities for remote monitoring.
• The cameras shall be installed and maintained in a manner that provides adequate image clarity and visibility of the relevant operations, including during night-time operations, wherever applicable.

(iii) Power backup and maintenance

• All industrial units shall ensure adequate and uninterrupted power supply, including suitable power backup, for the PTZ cameras, communication equipment and associated connectivity systems.
• Industrial units shall be responsible for the proper operation, maintenance and timely restoration of the cameras and connectivity arrangements in the event of any malfunction or disruption.
• Any prolonged disruption in video transmission or malfunctioning shall be promptly reported to the concerned SPCB/DPCC, along with the corrective action undertaken.

(iv) Compliance timeline

All industrial units covered under this Order shall ensure installation and operationalization of the requisite PTZ cameras, including arrangements for real-time transmission of video feeds, by 30.11.2026.

CPCB, in coordination with the respective SPCBs/ DPCC, shall ensure necessary technical arrangements, including designated portals, servers and associated infrastructure for receiving and accessing real-time video feeds from industries. The respective SPCBs/ DPCC shall monitor compliance and ensure its effective implementation in their respective jurisdictions.

The respective State Governments of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan and the GNCTD, along with CPCB and the concerned SPCBs/ DPCC, shall ensure effective implementation of the Order. The requirements under the Order shall be in addition to the existing directions relating to emission standards, use of approved fuels, OCEMS and other pollution-control measures prescribed by the Commission, CPCB and other authorities under applicable environmental laws.

Industrial emissions, including particulate matter (PM) released through stacks and fugitive emissions arising from various industrial processes, contribute significantly to air pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR). Besides directly increasing particulate matter concentrations, and industrial emissions also contribute to the formation of secondary particulate matter, adversely affecting ambient air quality. The impact of such emissions becomes prominent during the winter months, when adverse meteorological conditions restrict the dispersion of pollutants.

The Commission has been undertaking several measures to mitigate industrial air pollution, including transition to cleaner fuels, prohibition of polluting fuels and prescription of stringent emission standards from time to time. The Flying Squads of the Commission, during inspections of industrial units across NCR, have reported instances of use of unapproved fuels, indicating the need for strengthening compliance monitoring and surveillance mechanisms. Accordingly, the monitoring mechanism has been further strengthened with this order.

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