Centre Issues Stern Warning: Install Emission Monitors by December 31 or Face Closure

In response to the persistently hazardous air quality in the Delhi-NCR region, the central government has issued a firm directive to industries, mandating the installation of real-time emission monitoring systems and air pollution control devices by December 31, 2025. Non-compliant industries will face severe consequences, including potential closure.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is spearheading this initiative, invoking Section 18(1)(b) of the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. The move aims to bolster self-regulatory compliance through continuous, automated pollution monitoring, reducing the need for manual inspections and promoting transparency in emission control.

The directive specifically targets industries in the food and food processing, textile, and metal processing sectors operating within the National Capital Region. These industries are now required to install Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) and pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras, ensuring these systems are connected to both the CPCB and the respective State Pollution Control Board (SPCB)/Pollution Control Committee (PCC) servers.

The OCEMS will monitor key pollutants. Textile and food processing units must monitor particulate matter (PM) emitted from boilers or thermic fluid heaters. Metal processing units using met-coke, low sulfur heavy stock, or ultra-low sulfur oil must monitor PM, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Even metal industries not using these fuels are required to monitor PM. PTZ cameras are also a crucial part of the mandate, required to capture images of the OCEMS port-hole and flue gas emissions from stacks in textile and food units. Metal units' cameras need to monitor furnace feed and extraction areas.

The CPCB's directive follows a concerning revelation: a 2025 verification revealed that out of 2,361 air-polluting units, only 351 had connected their OCEMS to CPCB servers. This widespread non-compliance prompted the board to issue fresh instructions to the SPCBs and PCCs of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, demanding 100% compliance.

To ensure standardization and accuracy, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL) has been designated as the national verification agency for OCEMS certification and conformity testing. This accreditation ensures that the equipment adheres to ISO 17065 and ISO 17025 standards. The CPCB has also issued a revised OCEMS protocol in August 2025, requiring industries to adhere to updated calibration and alert-generation standards via the new OCEMS portal.

The CPCB has directed state pollution control boards to submit an "action taken report" within 15 days, emphasizing the urgency and importance of the matter. The board maintains that these measures reinforce previous orders from 2018 and 2019, which mandated the installation of OCEMS for medium and large red-category industries in the NCR before commencing operations. The current push seeks to bring uniformity and accountability in industrial self-monitoring, operating under the "polluter pays" principle.

With the December 31st deadline looming, industries in the Delhi-NCR region must act swiftly to install the required emission monitoring systems and ensure seamless connectivity with the CPCB and SPCB/PCC servers. Failure to comply will result in strict action, including potential closure, as the Centre intensifies its efforts to combat air pollution and protect public health.