CAQM pulls up Haryana pollution board over faulty C&D site cameras

The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) has taken a stern view of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board's (HSPCB) failure to comply with its statutory directions on monitoring construction and demolition (C&D) sites.

A review meeting was held on September 8 under CAQM Chairperson Rajesh Verma to examine the matter. The Commission's directions require all C&D projects with a plot area of 500 square metres or more to be registered and to have working video monitoring systems linked to the state's web portal for remote oversight of dust-control measures.

CAQM has been conducting sample-based remote checks of C&D sites through the HSPCB portal since 2024. These checks have repeatedly found problems, including broken or incomplete camera links, incorrect login credentials, links that redirect to mobile apps, and cameras that remain offline even after a successful login.

In the latest exercise, conducted between June 19 and June 22, CAQM reviewed active sites across five districts. Of the 213 sites in Panipat, 457 in Sonipat, 168 in Faridabad, 691 in Gurugram (North) and 484 in Gurugram (South), only a handful had functional camera links — four in Faridabad, six in Gurugram (North) and five in Gurugram (South). The findings were shared with HSPCB on July 8.

CAQM had previously advised HSPCB to deploy a dedicated team for remote monitoring, but no such team was formed and no meaningful improvement was seen. The Commission has now treated the continued lapses as willful non-compliance by the designated enforcement authority.

In the review meeting, HSPCB was directed to take corrective measures, including shutting down non-compliant sites, and to ensure uninterrupted remote monitoring. CAQM reiterated that strict enforcement of its directions is essential for curbing air pollution in the National Capital Region and warned that it will continue to monitor compliance closely.