PPCB launches Mission Clean Air Mandi Gobindgarh under National Clean Air Programme

Chandigarh The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), convened a high-level meeting on Mission Clean Air Mandi Gobindgarh at Mandi Gobindgarh. The meeting was presided over by Chairperson Reena Gupta and Member Secretary Dr. Lavneet Kumar Dubey, and co-convened with the district administration, including Deputy Commissioner Dr. Sona Thind and Additional Deputy Commissioner Pooja Siyal, along with senior officials from all key stakeholder departments, including Municipal Council, PWD, NHAI, PSIEC, Forest Department, and the Water Supply & Sewerage Department.

Mandi Gobindgarh, identified as a non-attainment city for not meeting prescribed ambient air quality standards, is a priority city under NCAP. During the meeting, PPCB presented findings from its field surveys and the Source Apportionment Study, which identified road dust, vehicular emissions, industrial emissions, and improper solid waste management as the major contributors to air pollution.

Based on these findings, PPCB outlined a set of actionable, time-bound recommendations for stakeholder departments to address key issues including road infrastructure gaps, waste management deficiencies, traffic congestion, and industrial emissions.

Chairperson PPCB emphasized that the initiative is a collaborative, mission-mode effort aimed at achieving measurable improvements in air quality, and not a fault-finding exercise. While PPCB is leading the initiative, close coordination and active support from the district administration and all concerned departments will be critical to its success. I

t was decided that progress will be monitored over the next 12 months through quarterly review meetings, with the Regional Office, Fatehgarh Sahib, leading on-ground implementation, regular field inspections, and inter-departmental coordination.

The meeting was followed by field visits to three induction furnace industries that have installed advanced air pollution control systems for secondary emissions, developed by the Punjab State Council for Science & Technology. PPCB reiterated its commitment to facilitate the adoption of these technologies across the remaining industrial units in the cluster, which is expected to significantly reduce particulate emissions and improve air quality in Mandi Gobindgarh.

Mission Clean Air Mandi Gobindgarh reflects a focused, data-driven and collaborative approach towards achieving sustained air quality improvement in Punjab.