NCR air woes: Tarun Kumar Pithode takes charge on key position in CAQM

New Delhi, Oct 23 (IANS) Tarun Kumar Pithode, an officer of the 2009 batch of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Madhya Pradesh Cadre, on Thursday took charge as the new full-time Member Secretary of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM).

Serving as the Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Pithode has now assumed the role of the Member-Secretary of the Commission, said an official statement.

He has been appointed for a tenure of five years up to September 8, 2029, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

Pithode succeeds Arvind Kumar Nautiyal in this key position.

After Delhi recorded a daily average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 296 - ‘Poor’ category – on October 19, the Sub-Committee on the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the CAQM invoked a 12-point action plan as per Stage-II of the extant GRAP in the entire NCR.

On October 16, the Delhi government had initiated a comprehensive Winter Action Plan for 2025–26 to tackle the seasonal spike in air pollution between October and February.

Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the plan spans 25 action points under seven themes - road dust, vehicular emissions, industry and power, open burning and solid waste, citizen interface and monitoring, and green innovation - coordinating with over 30 departments and agencies across the capital, he said.

Sirsa directed senior officials to ensure strict, time-bound implementation and real-time monitoring through the Green War Room, with clear accountability across PWD, MCD, NDMC, DSIIDC, DPCC, Transport, Delhi Police, and allied agencies.

Emphasising preparedness, he stated: “Compliance will be non-negotiable this winter - dust control, construction norms, PNG-only industrial operations, and targeted enforcement are being scaled with precision and speed.”

The Environment Minister said that all 30 stakeholder agencies — including PWD, DDA, MCD, NDMC, DSIIDC, DPCC, and Delhi Police — have been directed to maintain daily coordination through the Green War Room.

“Citizens are our partners and they must use the Green Delhi App, follow GRAP advisories, and opt for public transport and EVs as the city scales e-mobility,” he said.

--IANS

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