The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) has expressed serious concern about the Haryana State Pollution Control Board’s failure to follow its instructions for monitoring construction and demolition sites. At a review meeting held on 8 September 2026, the CAQM raised the matter with HSPCB after finding that most web cameras meant to track dust control efforts were not working properly.
What CAQM found
CAQM has been checking construction and demolition sites across Haryana using online monitoring since 2024. During a monitoring exercise from 19 June to 22 June 2026, serious problems emerged. Out of 213 active sites in Panipat, 457 in Sonipat, 168 in Faridabad, 691 in Gurugram (North) and 484 in Gurugram (South), nearly all had non-functional camera links. Only 4 working cameras were found in Faridabad, 6 in Gurugram (North) and 5 in Gurugram (South).
CAQM’s rules require all construction and demolition projects on plots of 500 square metres or larger to be registered and to have working video cameras installed on the state web portal. The cameras allow officials to check from a distance whether sites are following dust control requirements. However, HSPCB reported various problems including missing camera links, wrong login details, broken web addresses and cameras that stayed offline.
CAQM had previously asked HSPCB to assign a dedicated team for better monitoring, but no such team was set up and no real improvement took place before the June 2026 check.
What this means for you
If you work in construction or demolition in Haryana, expect stricter enforcement. CAQM has now directed HSPCB to shut down sites that do not follow its orders and to make sure all monitoring cameras work without interruption. The Commission has treated HSPCB’s failures as willful non-compliance and will keep a close watch on whether things improve. This crackdown is part of efforts to reduce air pollution in the National Capital Region.