Commission for Air Quality Management
In one line: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) is a statutory body for the National Capital Region and adjoining areas, set up under an Act of 2021.
Origin
It was first created by an ordinance in October 2020 and then by the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021. It replaced the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority, which had been set up in 1998 under the Environment (Protection) Act on the Supreme Court's direction.
Powers
It can issue binding directions to the Centre's and States' agencies in its area, and it runs the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which imposes curbs in stages as air quality worsens.
Where to go next
- National Clean Air Programme
- National Air Quality Index
Commission for Air Quality Management in the news
- Delhi's September AQI hits a five-year low even as PM2.5 and PM10 levels rose 2 October 2026
The statutory body that manages Delhi-NCR's shared airshed.
- Stiff 'red entry' rules in land records to curb farm fires 19 September 2026
Who regulates NCR air
Previous-year questions on this
- 2021 · GS3 · 10 marks Describe the key points of the revised Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) recently released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). How are these different from its last update in 2005? What…
- 2020 · GS3 · 15 marks What are the major factors responsible for making rice-wheat system a success? In spite of this success how has this system become bane in India?
- 2020 · GS3 · 15 marks What are the key features of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) initiated by the Government of India?
- 2016 · Prelims In the cities of our country, which among the following atmospheric gases are normally considered in calculating the value of Air Quality Index? 1. Carbon dioxide 2. Carbon monoxide 3. Nitrogen…