The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in India issued a notification on February 20, 2026, introducing stricter particulate matter (PM) emission standards.
The regulation applies to industries located in the Delhi National Capital Region (Delhi NCR) that are classified as “Red” category under the sector classification system. It also covers food and food processing units, textile industries operating boilers or thermic fluid heaters, and metal industries using furnaces.
Under the new requirement, these industries must limit PM emissions to 50 mg/Nm³.
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Industries |
Date of Enforcement |
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Medium enterprises (with investment up to 1.25 billion rupees and turnover of 5 billion rupees or more) and large enterprises (with investment exceeding 1.25 billion rupees or turnover exceeding 5 billion rupees) that fall under the “Red” category in the “Classification of Sectors into Red, Orange, Green, White and Blue Categories” |
August 1, 2026 |
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Medium and Large Enterprises: August 1, 2026 |
*Industries that have been granted exempted PM emission standards under any existing consent will not be subject to this requirement.
Under the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, the national particulate matter (PM) emission limit is set at 150 mg/Nm³. However, sector-specific emission standards are already applicable for certain high-polluting industries.
