Bhupender Yadav Reviews State Progress on Pollution Control and Circular Economy

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, chaired a high-level review meeting in New Delhi to assess the implementation of key environmental mandates across States and Union Territories. The meeting brought together the Chairman and Member Secretaries of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), as well as heads of all State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and Pollution Control Committees (PCCs), reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to a data-driven, coordinated approach to environmental governance.

Strengthening India’s Environmental Policy Implementation

The review meeting focused on the status of implementation of national environmental laws and programs across States, including:

• The adoption of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974;

• Execution of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mechanisms across waste streams;

• Implementation of various waste management rules; and

• Monitoring of industrial pollution through Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS).

Opening the session, Shri Yadav reiterated that strong environmental governance requires cohesive coordination between the Centre and States, and must be anchored in the principles of accountability, transparency, and sustainability.

“Our collective responsibility is to ensure that every environmental regulation translates into measurable outcomes. States must accelerate implementation, strengthen institutional capacities, and embrace data-backed monitoring tools for a cleaner, greener India,” the Minister said.

States Urged to Adopt the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act

A key outcome of the meeting was the Minister’s appeal to 13 States — Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh — to adopt the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 in their upcoming Winter Session of State legislatures.

Adoption of the Act, he explained, would ensure uniform enforcement of consent guidelines, standardized categorization of industries, and consistent pollution control practices across the country.

“A uniform regulatory framework will help States align industrial activities with environmental norms and enable more effective monitoring of water quality and pollution levels,” Shri Yadav said.

He stressed that water governance and pollution control remain national priorities, especially as rapid urbanization and industrial expansion put increasing pressure on India’s freshwater systems.

Accelerating the Circular Economy Through EPR

Shri Yadav underlined the importance of the circular economy in conserving natural resources and minimizing waste. He urged SPCBs to intensify the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) across multiple waste categories, including:

• Plastic packaging waste,

• E-waste and battery waste,

• Waste tyres and used oil,

• End-of-life vehicles,

• Construction and demolition debris, and

• Scrap of non-ferrous metals.

He directed the SPCBs to facilitate the smooth exchange of EPR certificates between producers and recyclers, strengthen the audit mechanisms, and ensure transparent tracking of material recovery and recycling performance.

Further, Shri Yadav instructed the CPCB to evaluate and rate SPCBs and PCCs based on their effectiveness in enforcing environmental regulations, including their EPR performance. This, he said, will promote healthy competition and accountability among State agencies.

“Circularity is not a buzzword — it is a necessity for sustainable economic growth. Effective EPR implementation is essential to reduce waste generation, conserve resources, and create green jobs,” he remarked.

Monitoring Industrial Pollution Through OCEMS

The Minister also reviewed the deployment and operation of Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) across the 17 highly polluting industry categories, including red-category industries such as cement, steel, thermal power plants, and chemical manufacturing.

He emphasized that these digital systems are critical for real-time pollution tracking, compliance verification, and swift enforcement against violators. Shri Yadav directed SPCBs to ensure that OCEMS are fully operational and that the data is regularly analyzed and integrated into the CPCB’s centralized platforms for national-level oversight.

“Data-backed regulation is the cornerstone of modern environmental governance. OCEMS ensures transparency and enables timely intervention when norms are breached,” he said.

Strengthening Waste Management Frameworks

The Minister reviewed the progress of key waste management rules, urging States to ensure effective ground-level implementation of:

• Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016,

• Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016,

• Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016,

• Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016, and

• Fly Ash Notification Guidelines for thermal power plants.

He also called attention to the need for better segregation, collection, and processing systems at the local level and encouraged coordination between SPCBs and urban local bodies (ULBs) to ensure that waste management systems are not only compliant but also sustainable.

“Urban India must shift from waste disposal to waste utilization. This transformation depends on local-level implementation supported by technology and citizen participation,” he said.

Data-Driven Governance and Institutional Capacity Building

Shri Yadav stressed that India’s environmental governance is moving decisively toward digital integration, real-time monitoring, and performance-based accountability. He called upon SPCBs and PCCs to enhance their technical capabilities through continuous training, adoption of advanced technologies, and collaboration with scientific and academic institutions.

He urged the CPCB to provide technical handholding to States, particularly in smaller and resource-constrained regions, to help strengthen laboratory infrastructure, data analytics, and compliance systems.

“Collaborative governance and institutional resilience are key to managing India’s environmental challenges. Every State must build capacity not just to monitor, but to mitigate and innovate,” Shri Yadav added.

Reinforcing India’s Environmental Vision

The meeting concluded with a unified commitment from the Centre, CPCB, SPCBs, and PCCs to strengthen environmental enforcement, promote sustainable production practices, and mainstream circular economy principles into State-level policymaking.

Shri Yadav reaffirmed the Ministry’s dedication to achieving clean air, safe water, and zero waste to landfill goals through coordinated efforts across all levels of governance.

“Environmental protection is integral to economic prosperity. By fostering accountability, transparency, and innovation, we can ensure India’s growth is both sustainable and inclusive,” the Minister said in his closing remarks.